To Have And To Hold
by GlamourGirl190
Summary: *third book* Laurah has finally returned to her true home, but the raging civil war threatens to wipe out her people. A marriage could stop the bloodshed, but what of Caspian? Can Laurah truly chose a man she loathes over the Narnian king she's come to love to save the sprites? Even if she can...will it be enough to save everyone she holds dear? **HIATUS**
1. Prologue

**As promised, a chapter up on the first day of August ;) Personally, I'm super excited for this story and what you all think, because I had the best time writing it! I went 20,000 words over my goal for Camp NaNoWriMo, so I've got about 20 chapters finished already. Not edited, mind you, but finished. To make sure I can update this thing on a regular schedule, I'll be posting new chapters every three days. That'll give me the time to edit and to finish up the last 5 chapters ;) And maybe halfway through this, I'll put up a poll so you lovely readers can tell me if you want me to write the book 4 idea that's been swimming around in my head. Details on it are in my profile. **

**Without further ado, the prologue of THATH! ;D**

**Disclaimer for this entire story: I don't own Narnia or its canon characters. just my OCs and some of the events ;)**

* * *

**Prologue**

A timid sun peeks through the thick canopy of the forest, its light mostly filtered into pale streaks by the leaves. The sun, who has seen everything, must be grateful to the trees for blocking its view. The sun has never liked the sight of blood.

Armor-clad sprites march through the forest as quietly as silence itself, all on high alert for any sign of another living soul. Their scouts have not come back, and after a week of waiting, this band of warriors cannot wait any longer to proceed. Staying in one place is dangerous in this war; the last group to remain in one place for over ten days was slaughtered in its sleep, and not a single one survived.

Rhoslyn almost jumps out of her skin when a less trained, less careful soldier steps on a twig. The resounding snap rips through the silence, sounding ten times louder than it actually is to the band of wary sprites. Several whip around and almost make noise in their surprise, but each would-be disturber of the forest's quiet is caught by a comrade. The collective sigh of relief that goes through the group is silent, yet almost dizzying in its intensity. Any sound could mean alerting the rebels to their whereabouts, and hence bait an ambush. Few ever survive from rebel ambushes, and none return unmaimed.

All seems well as well can be in civil war.

When the first arrow flies into Rhoslyn's arm, she swallows her cry of pain instinctively, trained to make no sound at all out in the field of potential battle. When the second pierces her abdomen, she can't help her tiny bleat. Instantly, every member of her band flies together to form a tight circle, weakest ones behind the strongest. Rhoslyn herself is quickly pushed into the very center, where she pulls the first arrow from her arm with a hiss and her cousin pulls the second from her torso. The first rebels come into sight just as each wound is tightly bound with scraps of Rhoslyn's cousin's cloth shirt, worn underneath his lightweight armor.

Each of the rebels' faces are covered by veil attached to the front of their helmet, and they attack like snakes: striking quickly only to withdraw just as fast, moving so quickly through the trees and brush that they seem to hiss through the forest around the band. The sprites have no choice but to break their emergency formation; they need every soldier they have. Together they form another circle, though the second is hollow. The youngest fall quickest to the rebels' strikes, and the strong are killed in their attempts to help them.

Rhoslyn can't help but think that perhaps the rumors are true: no one can be surprised in a skirmish and live to tell the tale.

Fear starts to spread through the soldiers as more and more are wounded or killed. Their movements become clumsy, miscalculated, sloppily aimed. More fall.

Hissing rebels pick off the shrinking group with grim determination, and their next target is always the one who screamed last. It almost seems to be mercy in its cruelest, most twisted form; they strike fear into their prey, and quickly kill the most terrified.

The soldier to Rhoslyn's immediate right begins to quake in fear. She's only fifteen, and nowhere near ready to die. A rebel darts toward her, but one of Rhoslyn's throwing knives buries itself in his throat. Gurgling and choking in his own blood, the rebel falls to the ground at the trembling girl's feet. Her scream of terror still rings through the air, even after her eyes fall on the dead body of her attacker. Before the girl can even murmur a thank you to Rhoslyn, a spear impales her from behind. A gasp of sorrow and horror almost passes from Rhoslyn's lips, but she saves it for later. Any sound means her death is next.

A seasoned sprite warrior nearby struggles with a rebel as Rhoslyn tries to fend off a striking one herself. The rebels never go in for the kill, not until their victim is almost mindless with panicky despair. Each strike is simply another small wound - a cut on a limb, a crack in a bone, a hit that will surely bloom into a nasty-looking bruise later. All the strikes but the death blow are meant only to inspire frightful foreboding. Whether this tactic is one of glee and malice or twisted mercy, Rhoslyn can't decide. Perhaps, she thinks, it is a mixture of both. Their leader must be even worse than the rumors say.

One of Rhoslyn's friends suddenly bolts off into the forest in a mad dash from the suspense of the rebels' attack. She'd been one of the first to join the sprite army when the war broke out. Now, the snake-like strikes have worn down her bravery too much. Before Rhoslyn can even call her back, her final shriek echoes through the trees.

All too soon, blood loss from her two arrow wounds begin to take their toll. Rhoslyn's sword seems to get heavier with each swing, and even her throwing knives don't hit their targets as well as usual. The seasoned warrior still fights on, and that's enough of a comfort and inspiration that she keeps her fear under control. If this is her last fight, it will also be her best. Hopefully. Already, Rhoslyn's vision is beginning to swim ever so slightly. She'll be dead soon, no doubt. At least she left no goodbyes unsaid.

Sivan, the middle-aged warrior who'd seen more battles than most sprites twice his age, begins to fade in strength as Rhoslyn feebly fights off the striking rebel. Another joins in attacking Sivan just as Rhoslyn falls to her knees, one hand pressed to her abdomen and the other struggling to hold on to her sword. It's far too heavy, and she drops it in favor of her dagger, but a throwing knife is all she can reach before her rebel attacker strikes again. It offers little protection, and she knows that her best protection now is to not be afraid. Only the ones who give in to the fear are killed. By far, this has included every member of the band. But perhaps, if she resists, she may yet survive, and she can tell the others!

Sivan may hold out as well, it seems. Even though the two rebels besetting him manage a stab each, he refuses to make any noise. If he can endure such severe wounds so stoically, surely Rhoslyn can endure hers as well. When the flat of a sword crashes into the side of her head, she buries her yelp in her renewed courage.

As she leaves consciousness and collapses face-first into the dirt, she hears Sivan fall to the ground as well. Neither makes a sound. They may yet live.

Every other sprite lies dead throughout the woods around them.

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**Man, writing battle scenes is HARD. Seriously. I should practice more I guess...but hey, you guys can be the judge! ;)**

**Please do let me know what you thought! :D**


	2. Chapter 1

**Wow, the positive feedback for the prologue was incredible! It was a HUGE relief to know that even though they take me so much longer to write, my battle scenes aren't the rubbish they seem to be when I first type them up XD Besides, I'm used to writing in first person, so that was an added challenge...but apparently a worthwhile one ;) Thank you, y'all!****  
**

**Masses of thanks yous and bags of chocolate and/or coffee to Garideth, Evy201, NL98, and joycelyn. for reviewing! And many many thanks to everyone who's favorited, followed, and just read! **

**Also, I try to respond to reviews via PMs, but those I can't reply to that way, I'll reply to at the bottom of the chapters ;) **

**On to the first chapter! Enjoy, my lovely readers! :D**

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**Chapter 1**

**Laurah POV:**

Ainslie wakes me bright and early to practice my sword fighting, but I can't help but notice that someone's missing. There used to be three of us, always, whenever we went to practice. I'm missing Rhoslyn's grumbling about having to get up with the sun. In fact, I haven't seen her since I woke up here.

"Ainslie, where is Rhos? I haven't seen her at all yet."

When my sister doesn't answer, I walk out of my room and into hers. There's nothing but a single door between the two, and we almost always keep it open anyhow.

"Hurry up, Laurah; we mustn't waste a single minute of training!" she calls from behind her changing screen.

"Ainslie, I know something's up if you keep avoiding the question like this. Please tell me where Rhos is." I can't believe I didn't notice Rhos missing before now.

There's a pause, but that's good news; it means Ainslie will probably tell me.

"Get dressed. I will tell you on the way."

I nod, satisfied. That's fair enough. So I do as Ainslie asked and hurry into my tunic and pants. A very good up side about the sprites is that women wear pants all the time for training; no dresses unless they want to wear them. It makes things like sword fighting a lot easier, since there's no swirling skirt to tangle itself in my legs.

Ainslie takes longer than usual to get dressed, but I try to stay patient. Wherever Rhos is, it can't be good, otherwise she would've told me by now. But if she wants to wait to tell me an extra five minutes, so be it. It takes a lot of my self-control to keep from demanding to know the very instant Ainslie steps out from behind her screen. My sais are already in my hands, and I keep shifting my weight from foot to foot. Ainslie looks downcast and nervous, and it's making me antsy and afraid of what she's going to say.

"Let's go." She leads the way down the hall and out of the palace, and I follow right on her heels.

Even the relaxing scent of the many flowers and plants that form the palace don't do much to keep my worry at bay. Is Rhos okay? Did something happen to her? Is she still here? Where is she? Why haven't I seen her at all? Why is Ainslie purposefully delaying telling me? She doesn't even say anything when we're out of the palace, nor when we reach the armory and pick our weapons. Apparently, she wants me to be versed in all kinds of combat, so we both end up carrying a sword, a pair of sais, a bow and quiver of arrows, throwing knives, and a dagger. It's almost too much to hold.

"Why do you want me to know so much about fighting? Ainslie, what's going on?"

My sister sighs, and turns to me defeatedly.

"I suppose now is as good a time as ever to tell you. While you were away, a w-" She abruptly stops talking as a group of sprites rushes past, carrying someone on a stretcher. It almost looks like Sivan, one of the sprites who helped me train with the bow last I was here, but his face is mangled enough that I can't be sure.

"Ainslie, what happened to him?" I whisper urgently after they're past. I almost don't notice the second group rushing someone else past.

When Ainslie looks down at the girl being hurried to the infirmary, I look down too. A gasp of shock is all I can manage. I've found Rhos. I'm not sure if she's alive.

"Wh-what...how..." I try to ask what happened and how, but I can only manage two stuttered pieces of that.

"A war began while you were away. Rhoslyn was among those who volunteered first. She and her band were attacked a few days ago, and they only just found them. She and Sivan were the only survivors." Ainslie's voice comes out choked, like she's trying not to cry.

"How did it start? Who are we even fighting against?" I ask, my own voice strained with unshed tears.

"Rebels, as far as we know. A small band of them simply attacked one day, without provocation. We've been trying to figure out their leader, but he or she remains hidden to us," my sister answers as we slowly start making our way to the training and practice grounds again.

"When did this happen?"

"Almost two years ago. We've been fighting this war ever since."

"But no help came from the Narnians?" Surely King Caspian would have helped. Perhaps he didn't, doesn't, know?

"The Narnians don't know of this. We've had little contact with them ever since you left. It was so in the old days as well; we become part of the forest itself to their eyes. Only the dryads have always been our friends, simply because they are as much a part of the forest as we are. But we refused any outside help."

"To spare their lives?"

"Yes."

I gently set my heavy load down on the grass as we walk into the clearing where at least four dozen sprites are already training as I nod my understanding. I'd do the same. If only the sprites were attacked, then it's best only sprites fight back. If anyone else were to get involved, their people would become a target as well.

"Mother must have thought of that." My mother the Queen always ends to think of things no one else does. She's a wonderful ruler, and I know Ainslie will be just as good to our people.

"She did." Ainslie then motions for me to pick my first weapon. "Alright, let's get started, sister."

"Maybe we'd better start with the bow. Heaven knows I've never been much good with it."

* * *

By the time Ainslie and I work our way through each of the weapons, the sun's disappearing into the horizon. We've trained and practiced the entire day, not even stopping for lunch. Ainslie's determined that I be ready for a fight every minute, and any kind at that. I've never seen these rebels, but Ainslie's told me stories that come back. They're not small and lithe like sprites, but they fight with a style suspiciously similar to ours. They rely on surprise attacks, and almost no one ever survives those. Rhos and Sivan were lucky, or maybe just brave. We still have no idea what they really look like, since they wear a square veil over the front of their faces.

I'm relieved when we're done for the day. I want to see Rhos. Ainslie warns me that she won't be well enough to say much, but I remind her that I already saw Rhos when she was brought in. I understand that she's in bad condition. So we put our weapons back in the armory and head to the infirmary. I'm glad my sister's coming with me.

When we go inside, the first thing I notice is the smell. I suppose I wasn't really thinking about that, but if the nurses who practically live here can deal with it, so can I. But still, it's a bit of a shock when I first walk in. I'm not used to smelling fiercely unpleasant things here with the sprites, I guess. But it's an infirmary, and I can see it's filled with wounded soldiers, many of them dying. Of course it's nothing pleasant.

Rhoslyn's been laid on a cot near the back, so I have to walk through the room to get to her. All the injured look so vulnerable and helpless and pained that I want to stop next to each of them and do something, anything, to ease their pain. But I'm not sure what I'd do, so I keep walking toward Rhos. Ainslie must be more used to this than I am, as the strong smell and pitiful sight seem to phase her less than me.

Once I finally reach Rhoslyn's cot, I see she's getting stitches right now, for a pretty nasty gash on her shin. She's conscious though, and I immediately rush to her side as her face pinches and screws tight from holding in a cry. Her eyes focus on me, and I'm relieved that it seems to distract her from her discomfort. She reaches tremblingly for my hand, and I quickly give it to her. She squeezes it so tight I'm certain she's break it if she squeezed any harder, but I hide the thought away. She can break my hand every day for a week if it'll keep her pain at bay.

Finally, the healers are finished with the stitching, at least for now. Ainslie's hand on my shoulder silently tells me she's leaving me alone with my friend, and I'm a bit grateful for the gesture. I would like some time with Rhos, just the two of us. After all, I haven't seen her in over a year. I'm quite content to just sit with her until she falls asleep, so she doesn't have to try and talk.

As it turns out, she's got other ideas.

"Laurah, where...have...-"

"Shh, you should rest. But to answer your question, I went to my human home, out of Narnia. I had a vision about my human dad dying for a week, and then one about my human mom. I had to go, to try and stop it. Actually, Mother helped me get there, I think. But I'm back now." I pause for a moment while a thought hits me. "It's good to see you again, Rhos."

She looks at me with a very sarcastic face, and I can't help but smile fondly. "Honestly, you don't look too bad. You could look worse." It's true. She could be unrecognizable. Luckily, she isn't.

Rhos looks at me expectantly, and points to my left hand, her face immediately turning confused when she does. She opens her mouth to speak, but I hush her and tell her to just tell me with her hands. One of her fingers taps my ring finger, and I understand.

"I gave it back. I didn't remember ever knowing him." At her surprised and perplexed look, I briefly explain Dark Island and how I can't remember anything but the sprites from my first trip to Narnia.

By the time I'm finished with my short-as-it-can-be summary, her eyelids are starting to droop. So I tell her it's okay to get some sleep, and I leave her be. But I don't leave the infirmary.

I head to the back to look for the other healers. I hope Ainslie isn't expecting me back at the palace anytime soon. Even if she is, I'm positive she'll understand. I manage to find one of the half-dozen healers I've seen around here today.

"Do you need any help?"

"Your Highness, we always need help."

"Do you think I could be of much use?"

He looks up from gathering a few medicines, clearly surprised at my offer.

"You could, yes. You are sure you can handle this?"

"Absolutely." The thing I wouldn't be able to handle is letting these people suffer without lifting a finger to help them.

"Then stick with me the rest of today, and I will teach you what you can do."

I nod my assent and hope Ainslie wasn't expecting me back to the palace anytime soon. But even if she is, she'll surely understand.

At first, I still have trouble seeing people's open wounds without flinching, but as the night stretches on, I learn to put it behind me. The healer who's taken me under his wing, Lassen is his name, tells me to think about the person's pain rather than the wound, and that helps more than anything else. Since I'm new, the most he has me do is clean away blood from a wound or hold one end of the cloth while he wraps it. But I can tell he's grateful for even the little help, and I resolve to find time every day to come by. I think these people need me more than the training grounds do.

When it's clearly past midnight, the work seems to be mostly done for the night. All the patients are asleep, and there isn't really anything we can do for them until morning. There is one woman who needs a few stitches, but the candles barely give off enough light to make the job safe, so we wrap the wound tightly for the night.

"Thank you, Your Highness. Your help is much appreciated."

"May I come by tomorrow as well?"

Lassen laughs grimly and replies, "You may come by any day you can."

"Then I'll be back at dawn." The weapons practices will just have to wait. Maybe I can practice at night once I'm done here.

I say my goodbye for the night and walk back to the palace. Somehow, I feel even better after helping at the infirmary than I do after a day with my mother and sister. Ainslie's waiting for me at the door, but she doesn't seem like she's been worrying as to my whereabouts. If anything, she looks...proud. She looks proud of me.

"Would you like a very late dinner, sister?"

"I wouldn't want to trouble-"

"It's no trouble. Mother hasn't eaten yet either."

"Is she in council?" The queen meets with her council, mostly made of up wise family members, twice in a full moon. Ainslie goes with her for half of them.

"War council, yes."

"Anything I should know about?"

"Nothing new from what I told you, as far as I know. Mother can tell us everything when she gets here."

We go our private dining room and wait in comfortable silence until Mother finally arrives, looking weary and worn and worried.

"Any news, mother?"

"Very bad news, I'm afraid. It seems the rebels attacked a group of Narnians in the deep eastern part of the forest."

"What? Why?" What were Narnians doing so deep in the woods, anyhow?

"We can't be sure. But it seems this war isn't about only us anymore."

"So our hopes for isolation are lost?" Ainslie's having as much trouble processing this as I am.

"I'm afraid so. But perhaps we can yet keep the Narnians from this war. We shall have to see." Mother runs a hand over her face, and Ainslie and I remember our manners.

"Come sit down Mother, heaven knows you're tired." I gesture sympathetically to the chair Ainslie's pulled out from the table.

Mother sinks gratefully into the cushioned seat, and I hurry to the kitchen to scrounge up a very late meal. Luckily, the kitchen staff caught wind of our plans for a late dinner, and a full meal is hot and ready to be delivered. I offer to help carry something, but they all insist that I go on ahead, dinner will be on the table within moments.

I do as they say, and sure enough our meal is on the table barely a minute after I sit down. Ainslie and I tuck right in, but Mother eats slowly. She must be stressed to an extreme with this war, and I immediately feel guilty for not doing more to help. I'm a princess after all, and I think Ainslie and Mother have been letting me off the hook for any responsibilities I might have as such. Come to think of it...I've been skirting another responsibility of sorts. But I'll think more on that later, when I'm alone.

"Is there anything I can do, Mother?"

"Trust me, my daughter, I will let you know the minute you can be of help."

"For now, continue working at the infirmary. You do a great service to our people with that alone, sister."

I nod my assent and finish my supper quickly. I've got to make sure I don't stay up too late, as I'm expected there at dawn. Ainslie and Mother seem anxious to get to bed as well, so we all say goodnight right after dinner. I can't stop thinking about the attack on the Narnians though, and it takes me longer than I'd hoped to fall asleep. Some tiny part of me worries that the king was with that ambushed group.

That night, I dream of Caspian.

* * *

My work in the infirmary with the Lassen the healer keeps me almost too busy to even think, and every minute it seems there's a new patient being brought in. These attacks happen far too frequently. Most of the patients are barely conscious when they arrive, but one day, there's one who's very wide awake.

I think the reason I notice him so quickly is that he's staring at me, intensely. Or, more likely, the reason is that he's wearing a different armor than the other soldiers. It's exactly like the armor the rebels are said to wear. He's one of them, and he's not one of ours. Why is he here?

"He surrendered to us," one of the sprite warriors ushering him in explains. "He was wounded already. Treat him as you would one of our own."

The second thing I notice is that his eyes are very much like Caspian's. He looks almost Telmarine, but for his attire.

He notices my stare, and I don't know if I'm relieved or afraid when Lassen rushes over to him, beckoning me to follow. Mercy is abundant today, but I can be no judge of its wisdom. He surrendered and he's injured; that's all that matters right now.

So I obey Lassen and clean the man's wounds carefully. I treat him as I do all the others: gently, kindly, and calmly. I purposely don't look in his eyes. I don't blush when Lassen strips him down to bare skin except for his loincloth, and I clean each of his many deep wounds without complaint. I can feel him staring at me the whole time, and I do my best to ignore it. Perhaps he knows I'm the princess, and that's why he stares at me so. Still, it unnerves me.

"Fetch the needle and thread, Highness?"

I get up and do as Lassen asks, secretly happy to be away from the man's piercing gaze. But I can't help but wonder who he is. And why he surrendered. And why he stares at me with such intensity. Does he mean to frighten me? I would not be surprised if he did. My musings distract me, and I almost stab my finger as I grab a needle. I hurry back to Lassen and avoid the man's gaze.

Perhaps what frightens me most is that he doesn't even flinch when we treat him. The sting and burn of iodine and water on his wounds seems like it doesn't affect him, and he doesn't even blink when Lassen stitches up the gaping slashes on his chest, his arm, and his leg. He barely even shifts when Lassen sets his broken finger and pops his dislocated shoulder back into place. And when Lassen digs the arrowhead from his side, he sits like a robot. Maybe he is a robot; that would explain his utter lack of emotion, and apparent lack of pain awareness.

Finally, Lassen's fixed him up as much as he can for now, and we leave the man laying there on the cot staring blankly at the ceiling. Just as I look back at him, he shifts to stare at me again. It frightens me a little, and I think he knows so. He smirks the tiniest bit before looking away.

That night, I dream of the man.

* * *

The next day, Ainslie claims me for the first half of the day to train. She's not confident enough with my progress, especially with the bow.

In her words, "You could last an entire battle with your sais, but barely two seconds with a bow."

Personally, I think close-on combat, like sword fighting, is much more practical, but then Ainslie reminds me that someone may shoot at me with a bow and arrow, and wouldn't it be ever so helpful if I could shoot them first? My only retort is that I have to be able to see the shooter in time, and see him in the first place. She sniffs at my dry sarcasm and shoves a bow and a quiver of arrows into my hand.

As I'm shooting, I think to ask about the man.

"Ainslie, did you hear about the rebel in the infirmary?"

"You mean Hallan? I should think so. Mother's hardly stopped talking about him. She's hoping he might give away some of the rebels' plans and positions. At the very least, he might teach us how to fight like they do, so we can stop losing every skirmish."

I don't respond, and I fire another arrow. It lands on the tip of the outermost ring. One of my better shots yet.

"You disapprove?"

"He frightens me," I answer simply, letting another arrow fly. This one doesn't even make the target.

"I would be concerned if he didn't." She pauses, and I get the feeling there's something she's not telling me.

"What is it, Ann?" I've taken to calling her Ann for short, and we both like the nickname.

"Mother found out that he's one of the main commanders."

"Why would a rebel so high up surrender?"

"We don't know. He might be planning something, but Mother has an idea that could safeguard against that."

"What might that be?" There's something in Ann's voice that doesn't sound right.

"I'll let her tell you tonight."

So be it. Another arrow flies, and this one lands in the second-most outer ring.

"Your best shot yet!" my sister praises.

"Finally, something other than the outside," I grumble. Archery tires me, and I've begun to hate it. It's frustrating that I'm not very good at it. Put frankly, I'm horrible.

"Practice will do the trick, sister. I promise."

"Perhaps." I for one doubt if I'll ever be able to make the bull's eye.

Just then, I remember an important snippet of information Ann might need to know.

"Oh, and Ann?"

"Sister?"

"When I was on the _Dawn Treader_, when we were anchored near Dragon Isle, I saw a green woman - a sprite - pacing back and forth ranting about her failed mist. I couldn't catch all of it, but she also mentioned an island, and a prince..."

Ann instantly spins around to look at me straight on, clearly somewhere between 5 and 7 levels of concerned.

"And you think she was referring to King Caspian?"

I shake my head, somehow keeping my composure.

"Not necessarily. I'm sure there are other princes. He's a king, as his title would tend to imply."

"Yet from what you've told me, it was King Caspian's ship and crew who broke Dark Island's spell.." Ann trails off, looking pensive and almost more serious than when we were talking about the war.

"You don't think he's in danger...do you?"

Ann doesn't answer me for a moment, and my heart gives a little pang at the thought that maybe he is.

"I'll talk to Mother. I think we can send one of ours, secretly, to look after him."

I nod and try to accept that I've likely done all I can do. Still, concentrating is hard, and I'm not a bit surprised when my next few shots land miserably far from the target.

After a good hour of the bow, I give up.

"Enough of this, please Ann. Can't we spar for a bit?"

"Throwing knives first, sister. Then we can spar as long as you like."

I'm better with throwing knives than the bow, but only just barely. I'm unlikely to make the bull's eye with either before next Christmas. Still, I obey my sister and practice with the knives for another hour and a half. She coaxes me into another hour of archery before we finally get to sparring.

It's a relief to finally practice something I'm good at. I don't think I'm quite as good as I was during the last of my first time in Narnia, but I'm certainly getting there. It's ever so nice to feel useful. I know I'd be able to fight well with the sword, if I ever happen to be in a battle. I'm almost hoping I do, because it doesn't seem quite fair that the common sprites are fighting and I'm not. Their lives mean no less than mine.

Right at noon, I excuse myself from practice and hurry to the infirmary. I'm determined to be there every minute I can, especially since Mother said it's the best thing I can do to help at the moment.

Today, the man - Hallan, I guess is his name - is blessedly asleep, at least for now, and so I can help Lassen without being distracted. I try to learn a little more each day, and I'm beginning to think that I might like to train to be a healer. While it's messy and none-too-glamorous work, there's a certain draw to being able to help ease people's pain.

The day passes much like yesterday did, and I begin to suspect that underneath the seemingly chaotic schedule here, there is a rhythm after all, though it's certainly a fast one. But one patient has several lacerations across her arm, and my thoughts immediately turn to my human mother. She remains in the back of my head the rest of the work day, and I'm still thinking about her when I head back to the palace for midnight dinner and my nice, comfy bed. Worry tugs at my mind, because what if the mist wasn't lying to me when it showed me both my parents and told me they were both dead? I wish there was some way of knowing.

I dream of my human mother that night, and I wake myself crying. I fall back asleep, only to dream of her again.

* * *

**That last bit will be important way at the end, so that's why it's there, just in case it seems odd. :P **

**NL98 - Hahaha yes, I am back! And hopefully better too XD I'm very glad the prologue was a hit! I changed what I wanted to do at least ten times, maybe a dozen, before finally settling on that.  
But don't you worry, there's gonna be Laurah/Caspian interaction. I made sure to throw a little fluff in there for ya ;) And I've tried to have both Nikki and Laurah POVs, so while it is pretty Laurah-centric, hopefully it balances out enough for y'all...**

**And just in case it looks like this is day-early update, it's three days by my standards because I got the prologue up a little past midnight. But by my clock, it was still the 1st XD If that matters to any of y'all XP So you can all expect chapter two right on time on the 7th.**

**Please do let me know what you thought! :D Even though this story is mostly written, I will take requests into account since I'm still editing ;)**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hello, lovely readers! :D I can't think of much to say right now, so I'll just get straight to the point XD**

**Thank you to everyone who's followed, favorited, and even just viewed, and a special thank you to my reviewers: Garideth, Evy201, and joycelyn. ! You all really do help me ever so much motivation-wise! (haha I've still got a few chapters before I finish this thing XD)**

**Enjoy, my dears!**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**Nikki POV:**

"Search parties? Don't you think that was a little excessive?" I'm all for finding that chica as soon as possible, but I'm beginning to suspect that her sprites found her, and she's probably living happily with them even as we speak.

"We swore to find her, yes? She could be in the forest dying of starvation," Caspian reasons, now mostly back to his old self.

"Or, more likely, she's living with the sprites somewhere ultra-deep in the forest, and hence we probably can't find her with search parties."

"Perhaps the old adage of "Better safe than sorry" comes to mind?"

"Alright, fair enough," I concede.

Even though it's been a good month or so since Laurah ran off, we haven't really gotten super uptight, like before. It's more of a 'we'll find her when we find her' kind of attitude. Besides, Caspian's got plenty of kingly duties to keep him busy, such as finding a place for the Seven Lords of Meditation, continuing to smooth relations with Archeryland, or Ashenland, or some kingdom like that down south. What was it called...ah yes, ARCHENland. Also, everyone seems to be humming about something being off in the forests. No one seems to be able to put a finger on it, but everyone's talking of it in whispers just the same.

Someone comes to grab Caspian, babbling about someone needing an audience with him, so he excuses himself in a hurry.

"What's your take on this, Lilli?" I ask after Caspian's left.

I'm very relieved Lilliandil came to Narnia with us; she's been a huge help, perhaps most of all in the sanity department for Caspian and I. We do get frustrated from time to time, and Lilli always offers gentle encouragement and/or firm guidance, whichever suits the situation best.

"The forest's sickness is steadily growing more concerning. Perhaps His Majesty's search parties are no longer 'excessive.'"

"Wait, sickness in the forest? Could you explain that a little?"

The star looks at me funnily as she replies, "Surely you have not been deaf to the concerned whisperings of the Narnians with regard to the forests?"

"No, but that doesn't mean I understand what they mean. I didn't take any classes in magical forest sicknesses back in high school." I'm kind of a science geek, but plant biology never did click like chemistry and physics and the like.

Lilliandil can only shake her head at me, and I remember that I've been trying to not talk quite as strangely (by Narnian standards).

"Sorry, old habits die hard."

"It's alright. This sickness smells strongly of magic, most particularly of the magic Dark Island thrived off of."

"Oh. Well that ain't good."

"No. Laurah could be in just as much danger with the sprites as without them."

As if on cue, a floating person made of leaves - I think Caspian said they're called dryads - rushes toward Lilli and me, urgently asking for the king.

"Throne room," I answer, pointing the way with my thumb.

The dryad thanks us profusely, and whooshes off in the direction I pointed. Hopefully the guards won't have a banana-hissy fit.

"I wonder what that was about," I muse, staring off curiously in the direction the dryad came from.

"I expect the king will inform us at supper."

"Hopefully even sooner, if it's as urgent as it looked."

We stand quietly for a little bit before I suddenly remember that MopMan's expecting me at the training grounds right about...now.

"Oops, I gotta run. Apparently, it's a good idea for me to learn to use a sword," I hurriedly explain to Lilli.

"It is indeed. Until tonight."

"See ya then," I smile my goodbye and dash off through the castle, hoping I'm not too horribly late. Heaven knows MopMan will never let me hear the end of it if I am.

Whether by dumb luck or just plain good luck, I skid onto the training area just as MopMan walks into view, carrying two things that look suspiciously like skinny steak knives in one hand, and two thick sticks in the other. I trot up to him just as he starts looking for me, and he greets me with his trademark cheeky grin.

"At last, milady arrives," he says, sweeping into a bow.

"Cut the crap lest I swoon!" I adopt my most Shakespearian voice and place my hand to my forehead dramatically, all the while trying not to laugh.

"Never the polite one, I see," jokes the mop-headed rascal, using the sticks to tap the side of my leg in punishment.

"You know me, ever blunt and sarcastic. Nikki Stevens, at your service!"

"Is Nikki-Stevens-at-your-service ready to learn a little of weaponry?"

I scowl as he makes that mash-up of my name. "Yeah, okie dokes."

"Very good. Now, I thought to start with these," he holds up the knives, "if it suits you."

"Erm, if that's the start I'd hate to see the finish," I squeak, my eyes widening to saucers on my face.

"I jest. We start with sticks," laughs MopMan.

"Thank heaven, otherwise I'd have walked away here and now!"

"Surely not! I would miss you far too much!"

I roll my eyes as he winks at me.

"You just want another kiss is all."

Now it's my turn to smirk as his ears turn red.

"Perhaps, at the end...well, that is...er..."

"You're adorable when you're embarrassed," I tell him with a laugh.

He ducks his head the slightest bit before turning serious and handing me one of the thick sticks.

"Perhaps you are ready to start?"

"Sure thing."

* * *

After a good few hours of failed attempts at learning to swing the sticks with some sense of rhyme or reason, MopMan gives up on me.

"You are hopeless, Nikki Stevens!"

"It's not like I've ever used a knife for anything other than cutting vegetables before!" I retort. Seriously, what did he expect? We don't really take classes in self-defense with a knife back home.

"Forgive my impatience, milady." For MopMan, he gives a rather good apology.

"Forgiven." I'm distracted by the spirited clanging of swords, and I swivel around until I catch sight of Caspian dueling with a half-horse half-man. I guess he's out of his duties for at least a little while.

"'Ey MopMan, what's a half-horse half-man called again?"

"A centaur, Nikki."

"Right-o."

I stand and watch the spar until it's over, and I can't say I'm surprised when Caspian wins. He's the heaven-almighty-blinkin' king, of course he can kick butt with a sword.

They both look over at impressed little me at the same time, and Caspian motions me over. I take MopMan with me, because it'd be rude to just go off and leave him standing there. Though, now I think of it, that could have been a great opportunity to get even for one of his pranks a few days ago...Darn. Maybe the chance will come again.

"Nikki, I think perhaps you should meet Jaystorm."

I gape openly at the centaur, shaking hands with him dazedly. "Oh my good gods above, my best friend's brother-figure is half-horse?"

"Surely she didn't neglect such an important detail!" laughs the centaur, Jaystorm.

"I'm sure she didn't forget to include your horses's ass, I just sort of...forgot?" Well, if I could tolerate the Dufflepods, I can certainly acclamate to knowing a centaur.

This Jaystorm lets out a great and merry laugh, one that makes Caspian and MopMan and me laugh too. He's got one of those super-contagious laughs, it seems.

"Perhaps now you remember?"

"Erm...yeah, it'd be hard not to," I splutter, though I'm taking a liking to Jaystorm's clear penchant for sarcasm. Oh yeah, we'll get along great. I can practically smell the friendship in the crisp Narnian air.

"And on that subject, have you heard anything about her yet?"

"I'm afraid we have had little luck so far," Caspian answers for me. "The only news perhaps related is that of a war between the sprites and an unknown enemy."

"Hold the phone! When did that happen?" I screech, instantly worrying about Laurah. Hey, she's not fit to be in the middle of a flippity-flipping war!

Caspian instantly understands my concern, and kindly fills me in. It's a good thing too; I'd have felt awful if I'd had to rip the words from his throat. Literally.

"It has stretched on for almost two years now, if the dryad messenger spoke true. They have refused any outside help, even from the dryads."

"Why's that?!"

"To prevent the loss of more life. The sprites are far from victorious, and they wish to remain the only target."

"Well are you gonna let them be all self-sacrificing and crap?" I really hope Cas isn't planning on doing that, because that's just not neighborly.

"Not if I can help it, no. They aided me in the battle against my uncle; that debt alone serves as reason enough to help them."

"Caspian, I like the way you think." Laurah done good, I say! Well...she'd have done better if she'd kept her princess tushy here with this guy, but I've already forgiven her for that unfortunate stroke of stupidity, especially since it was probably prompted by wanting to know who baddie-sprite was, or is.

"Your Majesty, do we know anything about their enemy?" Jaystorm asks, resting his arms on his sword whose tip is resting in the ground.

"We know next to nothing. I suspect the sprites know little more."

"So basically we'd be fighting blind? And they've been fighting blind for two years? No wonder they're losing, if you ask me!" Seriously, hasn't anyone heard of that phrase 'Know thy enemy'?

"They are not 'fighting blind' by choice, Nikki. Their enemy purposely conceals his form," Caspian explains to me patiently.

"Right-o, but how do we fix that extensive little problema?"

"Capture one." Caspian's answer seems so very simple, but even I know that it won't be easy. Heck, it'll probably be close to the impossible.

"But Your Majesty-"

"We cannot fight an enemy we know nothing about. If there is another way of learning about them, I will act on it," Caspian answers firmly, and I get why he's the king here. He's a decisive fellow, and he's a good leader. His rousing speech in front of Dark Island proved that.

"I do hope it won't be like Dark Island, because that was kind of a head-on attack," I mumble. Something's telling me that head-on isn't the way to go with these guys.

"A head-on attack would be foolish," MopMan and Jaystorm agree, and I bite my tongue to keep from screaming 'Jinx!'.

"Indeed. However, these 'rebels' as the sprites call them, are well-versed in stealth. Hence, that approach will likely be unsuccessful as well."

"Couldn't you just set a trap? Like, a bear trap? At the very least, you'd immobilize one. Those things can take off your foot, I tell ya!"

"It could be worth a try, though I think we will need something different from an animal trap," says MopMan.

"Yes, a trap would be worth a try. We have only to figure out the bait."

"Wait, bait? Um...ScoobySnax?" I chirp, knowing no one else'll have any idea what I'm talking about, but needing to say it just the same.

Sure enough, all three just look at me quizzically. At my shrug, they smile dryly and return to seriousness.

"Your Majesty, perhaps the bow?" Jaystorm suddenly says.

"Ah yes. Thank you Jaystorm, I almost forgot."

"The bow? Mind if I watch, since I've no doubt MopMan here'll be forcing me to learn soon?"

"Watch all you like," Caspian answers with a small laugh.

"Awesomeness!" I trot along behind him and Jaystorm, and I grab MopMan's hand to tug him along with me.

"Wait, that's a crossbow, right?" I whisper to my mop-headed buddy as Jaystorm hands Cas said item.

"Yes, I am impressed you know its name," MopMan replies, looking proud of me.

"I'm not a total dunce, you know," I mutter back a little indignantly.

MopMan's chuckle is the only answer I get, and then I'm watching Caspian shoot. All I have to say: Please in the name of every heaven above, do not let me get that man mad. Cuz his aim with a crossbow is actually somewhat frightening. I mean, I didn't know it was humanly possible to hit the innermost two circles every time. Nor did I know it was possible to hit the bull's eye half the time. I'd be lucky to hit the bull's eye in a hundred thousand shots.

"Well, erm...Laurah done good," I squeak, mostly to myself. But I notice Caspian smiling slightly at my comment.

After a little while, Caspian stops shooting. At first I think he's just run out of arrows, even though Jaystorm would get the arrows from the target every so often, but then I notice how the sun's starting to sink on the horizon.

"Dang, how'd it get so late?"

"Nikki, it is barely sundown," MopMan laughs.

"Yeah, but it was noon-ish when we started!"

"I think perhaps I'd better return to the castle. A mountain of paperwork awaits me," Caspian says ruefully, going to fetch the last round of arrows from the target himself.

"Ew. Have fun with that, yo." The poor lad. I have trouble staying focused for a test longer than four pages; heavens bless him for tending to a mountain of paperwork willingly.

"I shall try, thank you." Caspian makes a face before laughing lightly and pulling the last arrow from the target.

Well, everything happened in slow mo after that. One minute Cas has just pulled his arrow out and he's turning back to the three of us, and the next I see something whizzing toward him.

"CAS!" I screech at the top of my lungs, knowing I'm already too late even as my voice rips out of my throat.

He sees what I'm hollering about, but not in time to avoid it. His leap away from the wayward arrow isn't quite fast enough, and the force of the impact sends him staggering backwards. The arrow protrudes from his shoulder.

And then the slow mo moments end, to be replaced by pure and utter chaos. Jaystorm gallops to him faster than I can even blink, MopMan and I sprint towards him as fast as we can, every other training soldier within ten miles runs in the same direction as us, and some guards bark out orders so loudly I think they must be trying to wake the dead. Something about sweeping the area, search the grounds, fetch the healers, and high alerts. A huge din erupts too, and some of the younger people around are shouting confusedly and almost running into each other in their panic. Too many shrieked questions of where that came from and where is the shooter and what do we all do now blare up for me to even begin processing. Cue a sudden, desperate need for aspirin on my part.

And while we're at it, cue a whole team of healers for poor Caspian here.

"What the hell was that?" I demand hoarsely, knowing no one's going to answer but needing an avenue for my utter bafflement just the same.

"Are you okay?!" Dumb question, I know. But Caspian, being the real trooper he is, nods and stands up. That alone has me standing there with my jaw slack. This guy just got hit in the shoulder with an arrow, that's still sticking out of his shoulder by the way, and he's standing and communicating, and most impressively, CONSCIOUS?! Hell, if that arrow hit any lower, he'd have an arrow sticking out of his heart, not his shoulder!

"Nothing vital," he manages, and I really begin to think he's nuts when he reaches for the arrow like he's gonna pull it out himself.

"Wait for a healer to do it, Majesty!"

Surprisingly, Cas obeys Jaystorm and about a dozen other soldiers' order/forceful request.

I notice vaguely that a whole dang lot of people have gathered around, but they clear in a flash when an older lady and a team of what can only be her helpers burst forward. I'm guessing she's the healer, and I'm hoping so too.

"Stand back, and let the king have some air!" she commands brusquely, and we all scurry to obey. She's got the sort of voice that no one in their right mind would ever disobey.

"Ah, just in time," Caspian manages to say, and I can't help but gape. I approve highly, very highly, of this dude's ability to retain some sense of humor under such circumstances.

"Bite your tongue, Your Majesty, lest you yell when I pull this arrow from your shoulder," she retorts, reaching for that arrow with one hand and holding a thick wad of cloth with the other.

"Yes ma'am," he says through gritted teeth, and I wince in anticipation. That looks like it hurts an awful lot.

In one swift motion, she works the arrow from his shoulder, and my eyes widen at Caspian's impressive self-control; he doesn't make any sound other than hissing in a breath through his teeth. Even though a collective shudder of sympathy goes up through the throng of worried bystanders, myself included.

"Dude, you have some serious pain-tolerance skills," I mutter, and his somewhat-pained smile of thanks greets me in response as the older lady presses the wad of cloth to the wound.

"I will take that as a compliment, Nikki."

"Quiet 'Majesty, save your your strength!" the healer-lady snaps, and he shuts right up - we all do.

At her prodding, Cas walks slowly back towards the castle, and holds the cloth to his bleeding shoulder with his good hand as per the lady's instructions.

Some of us follow him into the castle, and the rest disperse.

"How the freak did that happen, that's what I'd like to know," I murmur to myself.

"It did not look like an accident," MopMan whispers back.

* * *

The next few days, Caspian's under strict orders to stay in bed, rest, and let his shoulder heal. He often requests visits from me, mostly because I make a point to make him laugh every time.

"Laughter is the best painkiller," I insist.

That makes him laugh, of course, though quietly so he doesn't jostle his shoulder so much.

"Hey, wanna hear a story about Laurah and my's crazy endeavors?"

At his smile, I quickly sort through the many, many, many memories to find one of the most amusing ones.

"Well, before I tell you the story, I should tell you that we had an evil language teacher. She taught us Spanish, and there wasn't one single soul in the student body who didn't strongly consider throwing her off a cliff at one point or another."

Caspian's eyebrows arch so high they almost leap off his forehead.

"What? She gave more homework in one night than normal teachers gave in a week, and she yelled at us for getting a tissue or asking to go to the bathroom. She was EVIL. And she hated me in particular, because I kept asking if she lived with a horde of cats."

Caspian laughs at that, and I wait until he calms to get on with the actual story.

"Okay, so Laurah and I had to suffer through five years with this nutcase. Five long, torturous years. We thought it was going to be six, and we almost cried in despair, but then we noticed that she wasn't on the faculty list anymore. It looked like she had quit, and we danced around the entire house we were so happy. Now, consider this happiness suddenly being cut short. Like, cruelly cut short. We spent the entire summer celebrating our freedom from the cat-crazy maniac of a teacher. And when we walked into first-period Spanish class on the first day of school, can you guess who was sitting at the teacher's desk?"

"Another professor?"

"The very witch we thought we were rid of forever. I sort of stood there in shocked disbelief in fate's cruelty, but Laurah...wow. She let loose some of the most impressive strings of swear words I've ever heard. Rightly so, in my opinion, because she barely held a C in Spanish because the crazy Mrs. Sachey, that was her name, based half the all-fired grade off of participation, and she'd never call on Laurah when she raised her hand. Unfortunately, Mrs. Sachey heard these marvelous strings of cuss words, and promptly began screaming in Spanglish about the importance of a clean mouth and the eternal damnation awaiting any who used such words. And do you know what Laurah did next?"

Pause for dramatic effect.

"She took her Spanish book, went to the window, opened it, and threw it three stories down into the bushes. It still sits there to this day. And it gets better: she helped the seniors with their senior prank, of which Mrs. Sachey was a victim. What they did was this: They covered the doorway edge to edge in clear plastic wrap, which is basically very thin and see-through and sticks to things very well, covered the plastic wrap in super-glue, and set a string that would turn on a huge fan when it was tripped. In front of this fan, they put a huge pile of feathers. Mrs. Sachey saw the pile of feathers sitting in her chair and raced forward in rage. She ran into the glue-covered plastic wrap, tripped the string, and was promptly turned into the first feathered Spanish teacher the school ever knew."

Caspian gapes at me for a minute before bursting out laughing, and I have to remind him not to laugh to hard lest his shoulder object strongly.

"It's a good thing she never saw_ Home Alone_, otherwise she'd have seen the booby-trap. But as it was, it worked," I add quietly, because I'm laughing quite hard too. Caspian's still chuckling, so he misses my reference to the movie he's most surely not seen. I've yet to see a TV in Narnia, after all. Just as well, no need to confuse the injured man.

"You know Cas, I'm beginning to suspect that you ask me to visit every day just because I can coax a laugh or two out of your Royal High Seriousness."

"Perhaps you are right. It's just refreshing to talk with someone who has no regard for my title."

"Oh I respect that you're king and all, I just don't act no different."

"Precisely. No one else in all of Narnia would have thought to hit the back of my head, that is certain."

"You had it coming, admit it!"

"Yes, I suppose I did," he replies, laughing once more. "If Lilliandil is my wise elder sister, you are surely my vivacious younger sister."

"Thank you, I think?"

"Yes, it is a compliment."

"Awesome then!" I flash an over-the-top grin with more cheese than a mouse could eat. "Oh, and have you eaten today?"

"I fear I have no desire to," he admits, a little sheepishly.

"And just how do you expect to get better if you're eating nothing? Get some food down the hatch, man!" Honestly, he needs a good dose of protein at the very least.

"Well, I-"

"No buts! I'm going to the kitchen to get Your Royal Hungriness a plate of yummy things, and I'm not going to leave you be until you eat every last bite. Do we have an understanding?"

"It would seem I have little say in the matter," he sighs, accepting the uselessness of arguing with me.

"Right you are. I'll be back in a flash. Try not to die of boredom while I'm gone." With that, I scurry down to the kitchen and do exactly as I said I would. And I make sure there's good protein aplenty. Poor Cas though: I make sure to get a few vegetables on there too. A spinach salad shouldn't be too bad though, and the iron will do him good, especially with the blood loss he had.

When I get back to Cas's room and put the tray on his lap, he looks at me like I'm nuts.

"Nikki, you said a plate. Not a platter."

"C'mon, teenage boys can eat ten mountains worth of food in half an hour. Surely you can manage this in two."

"You forget that the teenage boys you think of are healthy."

"Yes, and you've got to have some protein and iron and lots of vitamins and minerals to get back to healthy, yes?"

"Perhaps..."

"Then tuck in already! I'll take back whatever you can't eat. Please note I said 'can't' and not 'won't'."

"Yes, sister." If he was in the habit of rolling his eyes, I suspect he would do just that right at this moment.

"Shut your mouth and eat up."

Caspian looks at me and cracks up the slightest bit, and I realize how little sense I just made.

"Science of osmosis. Just eat."

Shaking his head, he does as I say.

* * *

Once I've finished annoying the snot out of Cas, I go in search of Lilliandil. I've got some questions about that arrow and just how it managed to hit the flippin' king of Narnia. It just didn't add up, because if it'd been a wayward arrow, wouldn't the accidental-shooter come clean?

Luckily, I run into her when I'm sweeping through one of Cair Paravel's many gardens.

"Ah, Lilliandil! I've been lookin' for ya," I call as I approach.

"I suspect you wish to know my opinion on the events a few days ago?"

"Right you are."

"Walk with me, and we shall talk of it."

I join her as she walks along through the flowers and flowering trees, waiting to open my mouth until we've walked a little bit.

"So, doesn't it seem weird that no one stepped forward to apologize for hitting the king of Narnia in the shoulder with an arrow?"

"Strange indeed, unless it was no accident."

"That's what I was thinking! It smells like a rat, the whole thing. And you know what else? Caspian wasn't facing the archery range fully, yet it hit him straight on! It almost looked like it came from the woods, not the archery range. You catch my drift?"

"I do understand what you mean. But who would make an attempt on the king's life?" she asks, seemingly as puzzled as I am.

"Well, those rebels pop into mind, but I'm pretty sure they're only attacking the sprites, right?"

"Yes, you are right. Yet, who else? Surely the sprites are not to blame."

"You know? Why don't we have a look at the arrow, if we can find it? It might tell us a whole lot." As soon as I suggest it, I know it's a pretty good idea. Provided we can find the arrow, that is. Hopefully no one's thrown it out by now.

"Any ideas where to find the healer-lady who pulled it out of our good king's shoulder?"

"Perhaps in the herb gardens, and perhaps in the healers' rooms."

"Awesome. Shall we split up, or work as a team?"

Lilliandil looks more comfortable when I say the second option, so I just say, "You know what? Let's just look around together. Company's nice."

She looks the slightest bit grateful at my suggestion, and I think that maybe she doesn't know her way around the castle just yet. I don't know all the corridors by heart, but I did a lot of exploring, so I'm getting to know it fairly well.

"Alrighty, onward ho!"

We chat amiably while we make our way back inside and to the healers' rooms. I mention Caspian's comment about us both being his sisters, Lilliandil his older and me his younger, and the reasons behind it, and she trills out a laugh in response. I think she's pleased though, maybe because she's never had siblings before. At least, I didn't notice any stars other than her at Ramandu's Island.

"Do you miss your home?" I blurt out suddenly.

She looks startled, but she answers truthfully, "Yes, a little. And you?"

I smile in response.

"Surprisingly...me too."

As soon as I say it, I realize it's true. I do miss home. Narnia's great and all, but...it's not home. And as much as my family can get on my nerves, my older brother in particular, I do miss them.

I manage to shake off this sudden nostalgia when we find the healers' rooms.

We're greeted by a young lady who can't be any older than I am who introduces herself as Agnes. I explain why we're here, and she's kind enough to take us to the healer-lady from a few days ago. Agnes tells us her name is Iandi.

Iandi's busily grinding up herbs into a pulp when we get to her, and Agnes excuses herself once we arrive. Iandi barely looks up as I step forward.

"Hey, um so remember when the king got shot in the shoulder a few days ago?"

"I do. Hurry and get to the point," she says, but not meanly, more like matter-of-factly.

"Alrighty then. Do you still have the arrow?"

"Got it right here. What's it you need it for?"

"Just to see if we can figure out who fired it is all."

"I doubt his initials are carved on the arrow shaft," she laughs.

"As in generally speaking."

"Take it then. Though I can tell you a bit about it right now," she says as she hands me the arrow and turns to face Lilli and me.

"Please, do," Lilli encourages, stepping up to stand at my side.

"It's no Narnian arrow. Nor is it Telmarine."

I trade a glance with Lilli, some of my suspicions confirmed.

"Lilli, I think we need to pay the library a little visit. We'd better make sure this isn't a sprite's arrow."

I'm about to rush out, but then I remember my manners.

"Thank you, Iandi."

"You're welcome, child. Now run along." She dismisses me almost teasingly, and I decide that I rather like her.

I do run a long though, and Lilliandil's hard-pressed to keep up with my speedy power-walking.

"I'm sorry if I'm wearin' ya out, I'm just awful anxious to find out about this arrow," I apologize over my shoulder, slowing down a little so the star can catch up.

"Quite alright, Nikki; I understand." Bless her, she's such an understanding soul.

I manage to slow down enough that Lilliandil can keep up with me the rest of the way to the library. My energy almost drops when I remember the sheer size of it, but I'm hoping and praying everything's alphabetized. By title, not by author, because I have no way of knowing who wrote what.

"Divide and conquer?" I suggest.

At Lilliandil's nod, we split up and scour every single bookshelf. Luckily, I figure out after the first three or so that the books are indeed alphabetized by title, so I search the S section for anything on sprites, and Lilliandil comes to help. The S section is far from small, after all.

At long last, we find a book about sprites, with illustrations no less. I pore through the thing until I find the chapter on their weapons and weapon style. Lilliandil points out a sketch of what the typical sprite arrow looks like, and we compare the sketch to the arrow in my hand. My heart drops to my toes when we do.

"So it is a sprite arrow, after all."

* * *

**Hooray for longer chapters! I think this is one of the ones I had to go back and add some stuff in for, so that's why it's a bit longer than usual XD Hopefully y'all don't mind. **

**Please do let me know what you thought! I love hearing everyone's feedback! :D**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hello again, readers! I may speed up the updates by a day, simply because three days stretches this thing out a little bit too much, at least in my opinion :P You can tell me yay or nay in a review if you'd like to put in a word on the subject XD**

**Again, thank you to all you wonderful people who've read, followed, favorited, and reviewed! Thanks in particular to NymphadoraLupin98, Evy201, and joycelyn. for reviewing the past chapter!**

**Word of warning: A certain character by the name of Nikki is currently fighting tooth and nail with me regarding the end of the story...and if she has her way, I'll be hard pressed to get a fourth installment of this series out, as there's only a few mini stories left to tell. Mini as in a few chapters, nothing very long, just to tie things up all nice and pretty, so to speak. Back to the point: Nikki's being a bit difficult with me, so I'm not writing very much right now. Now that doesn't impact my updating yet, but if a poll goes up to resolve my little issue, do please vote on it XD What can I say? Nikki's just a bit of a pistol...she already jumped into Narnia against my express command! **

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 3**

**Laurah POV:**

It turns out that yesterday's war council meeting didn't even scratch at the iceberg, and Mother wants Ainslie and me both to come with her today. Unfortunately for me, it starts at dawn. I'm okay with getting up at dawn, but getting up before dawn? I have to suppress a host of colorful complaints. But really, I shouldn't mind so much. It's an honor that I even get to go, quite frankly.

"Come now Laurah, it's time to get up. You cannot go to council in your nightclothes!"

"Five more minutes?" I groan, turning over to lay on my stomach.

"You said that ten minutes ago. Up!" With that, Ainslie unceremoniously yanks the blankets and sheets from my bed, which only prompts me to curl up into a shivering little ball. The morning air is cold without the sun to warm it.

Eventually, I figure out that I'll be warmer if I just get up and start moving around, so I drag myself from my bed and force myself to get dressed, much to Ainslie's satisfaction. She's already dressed and ready to go, and I don't pretend to understand how she does it. Then again, Ainslie's always been a bit of an early-riser.

That being said, she does have a hint of bags under her eyes, which I note out loud.

"Trouble sleeping, sister?" I ask, pointing to the slightly darkened circles under her eyes.

"Yes, a little."

"Thinking about the war?"

"...yes."

I finish taming my hair and pat her shoulder sympathetically, and we walk out into the hallway together. Mother must already be in the council room, and I let Ainslie lead the way. I never quite figured out where the council room is.

As per my sister's direction, we arrive perfectly on time. Well, it's technically five or so minutes before the council meeting actually starts, but it's just enough time to take our seats and say a quiet hello to everyone nearby.

At dawn precisely, Mother stands and bids everyone a good morning, and quickly brushes over the discussions of yesterday. Apparently, they covered a lot of ground but came to very few conclusions, and the most pressing matter of what to do with Hallan is unresolved, as of yet.

"This very predicament is the reason I have called both my daughters here. Laurah, I believe, has spent more time with this man than any of us have, if not by choice then certainly by chance. Daughter, perhaps you could enlighten us a bit more as to his character and behaviors?"

I wasn't expecting this and I've had no warning whatsoever, but I'm content to speak for a bit. Public speaking usually frightens me, but here with my people the sprites, I don't fear it nearly as much. So I stand steadily and tell them everything I can.

"I don't know if any of you have seen this man, but...he is certainly every inch a commander. His gaze is unforgiving, and I know this because he would not cease staring at me when I was helping in the infirmary a day or two ago. He's frightening, to be frank. I cannot help but think that surely no commander of the rebels, as we call them, would surrender to us without some other end in mind. He may be injured now, but I think we cannot be too cautious when he's even close to being at his full strength. He's formidable even with a quarter of it." I surprise even myself with my formal way of speaking, and maybe Ainslie and Mother's speaking styles have rubbed off on me. If they have, so much the better, at least for these meetings.

I sit down once I finish, and I notice both Mother and Ainslie looking at me with approval. I guess they're happy I didn't barf up my nonexistent breakfast out of nervousness.

The council members sit and deliberate for what feels like hours, about things like what to do with Hallan when he's well, whether we should just execute him or try and get information from him, and the like. I notice several of them look at me and then at Mother, who seems to give them stern looks in response. Turning to Ainslie, I ask silently what that was about, but she shrugs her confusion right back.

Eventually, the dull roar calms to a gentle hum, and at Mother's call for order everyone shushes right up. She nods to some of the most vocal members, and one of them stands up, probably to suggest something.

"Her Highness Princess Laurah's assessment of the man's likely ulterior motives is more likely correct than not. However, executing him could mean retaliation, an event we may not survive if the rebels storm us here. It would seem our only choice is to attempt to learn from him."

"And it seems you have thought of a person to do this," Mother replies quietly, not looking at me even as I turn my curious gaze to her.

"We have, Your Majesty. It would seem that as he has taken a specific interest in the Princess Laurah, she may yet be the best of us to convert him."

"I beg your pardon?" I murmur, utterly confused. What does he mean, 'convert him'?

"You wish my daughter, the second in line for the throne, to attempt the dangerous task of not only milking this man for information, but convincing him to abandon his present allegiance in favor of helping us?" At their hesitant nods, Mother continues, "How do your lords propose she do this?"

"Majesty, we had no specific avenue in mind. We only thought that, as he made a point of staring her Her Highness for hours on end, that she could use this to her advantage, and to our advantage."

"And why is it, do you think, he stared at her so? Surely you cannot think his intentions honorable?" Ainslie cuts in, clearly leaping forward to protect me, though in the most polite manner I've ever seen.

"With all due respect, Your Highness, perhaps his intentions are of little consequence. Princess Laurah proved her adept skill at winning others over during her previous time here; we were only suggesting that she could be just the person to do this task precisely because of that skill combined with this man's obvious interest in her."

Surprisingly, I rather like the idea. It gives me something important to do, and playing a little bit of cat and mouse with this man Hallan, while dangerous, could be entertaining as well. A more selfish thought occurs to me: maybe this little game could help me forget about Caspian, at least a little bit. I think Mother understands that last sentiment in my eye, because she agrees to it for me.

"Very well. Laurah, your task is now to learn as much as you can about our enemy, through Hallan."

I nod my assent, and place a soothing hand on Ainslie's arm. She looks very averse to the idea, but luckily she understands that I'm okay with this. Her expression promises the demand for an explanation later, and I nod subtly. That's fair.

I'm about to silently ask what else we're going to talk about when I notice how light it's gotten.

"Council adjourned for an hour. Thank you, all."

At Mother's dismissal, everyone stands and disperses, bowing slightly in respect at they go. Ainslie's face assures me that now would be a very good time for an explanation, so I say it simply, as soon as the last person's left the room.

"Ainslie, I promise I'll be fine. Hallan's scary, yes, but I'd like to do everything I can to help. If my people can fight and die for this, surely I can do them this small favor?" I hesitate, but at Mother's nod I add softly, "Besides, it might help me forget Caspian a little."

Ainslie's face instantly softens when I say that, and she nods.

"Very well, sister. Only please...be careful. He's not a man to be trusted."

"No man is to be trusted," I answer sarcastically, but half meaning it. "But seriously, I'll be careful, Ann. I promise."

This seems to pacify her, and she nods again, more acceptingly this time.

"Shall we to lunch, daughters?" Mother invites, gesturing toward the door.

"Yes please. I'm starved! I never got breakfast," I laugh, trying to forget Caspian. Because ever since I mentioned him, he's been tugging at my mind. And thinking about him hurts, though I can't tell if it's because I miss him or I just want to be with him. I know it's because I love him.

I shake my head, as if I can shake those thoughts right out of my head, and Mother looks at me sympathetically. I suppose she knows a thing or two about losing one's love. I can't imagine how she must have felt when Father died.

"Are we going to lunch before next year?" Ainslie teases, tugging me off toward the door by my arm. Mother laughs her tinkling, bell-like laugh and follows us, looking very happy indeed to see her two daughters here and together. She's looked happy ever since I've been here, really. She's burdened by this war and ruling in general, but her eyes light up whenever she sees me and Ainslie.

When we arrive in our private little dining room, lunch is already on the table. I'm happy to find that it's a cold salad, because it's really warmed up since the sun rose high in the sky.

"I think I'll go by the infirmary as soon as the council meeting's over," I say, very much wanting to forget all about the Narnian king still bugging my head.

"An excellent idea, daughter. Only do as your sister said and be careful."

"I will Mother, I promise," I give her a teasing glance that reminds her how feisty I can be when I put my mind to it.

"And you can always stop if he frightens you too much," Ainslie adds, looking and sounding every bit the concerned older sister she is.

"He may frighten me, but I have a feeling I'll get used to him. He may simply be an acquired taste, that's all."

Ainslie and Mother trade a glance I don't quite understand, but it's gone so quickly that I almost think I imagined it. We finish lunch in silence, and I take my time walking back to the council room because my rear end is becoming quite sore from all this sitting down.

Mother walks brusquely ahead, but Ainslie smiles knowingly at me and falls behind too.

"I do not know how I shall manage if I become queen," she whispers, so quietly that I'd never have heard her if I wasn't a sprite.

"You'll have to have a royal seat cushion made especially for council meetings," I joke back, enjoying this moment of sisterly-ness.

"An excellent idea. Feather for the stuffing?"

"If you can manage it. Simply wait until the Winter Solstice festival, and ask for the feathers from the goose for the feast."

"Don't you think that could be perceived as odd?"

"Odd or no, you'd be the queen, and no one could argue with you, not over goose feathers anyway."

"Perhaps we should simply rule side-by-side, sister."

"Oh no, I'm quite happy to leave you to the council meetings, though I'm sure I'll have to come to at least half of them anyway."

"Then you must have a feather cushion too!"

"Only if there are two geese at the festival."

We laugh quietly at the silly musings, though we have to hush in a hurry since we've arrived back at the council room. I notice several of the council members giving me approving glances as Ainslie and I enter, and I use that as leverage to send Ainslie an 'I told you this was a good idea' smile. It's innocent at first glance, but Ainslie knows exactly what I mean, and she discreetly rolls her eyes. I had to teach her how to do that the first time I was here, and it seems she's gotten quite good at it in my absence.

"I see you've improved at the eye-rolling, sister," I whisper as we settle into our seats.

"I learned from the best, did I not, sister?" she fires right back, with a disarming smile so that the other council members who see us talking won't guess as to the topic.

Mother doesn't even have to call the council back into session, since everyone sits quietly as soon as Ainslie and I have shut our mouths.

"I believe another matter we must discuss, Your Majesty, is the attack on the Narnians," one of the older council members begins.

"Yes indeed. There is little chance the Narnians will not attempt to enter this war, and we have no way of stopping them should they chose to do so."

"Your Majesty, perhaps the combination of our forces would be a worthy aid," someone offers.

"Yet our own losses are so great that I am loathe to bring the same upon the Narnians."

A council member, who I think is my cousin and looks to be barely a year older than Ainslie, stands at that, and there's a passion in his eyes that I haven't seen in this entire council all day.

"But my Queen, we are all Narnians. We are sprites, but we are Narnian. This was belongs as much to them as to us, and perhaps we should not refuse help from our own kin. The Narnian forces would greatly increase our numbers, and perhaps with their help we could win this war, rather than suffer another dozen new losses every day." He sits down after his little speech, and I can't help but be impressed. It also makes me wonder. If we're all Narnians, why is we sprites have our own queen and government and such? Why are we not one with the other Narnian peoples ruled by the Narnian king? When did the two become separate, the sprites and the Narnians?

Ainslie notices my pondering and confusion, and discreetly calms me with a hand on my arm.

'Not now, sister,' her gesture seems to say.

Still, it's a worthy question, and I stow it away in my head for later. I'm not sure if I'll ask Mother or Ainslie about it, but surely there must be books on the subject in the library.

In spite of my best efforts, that dilemma is the only thing I can concentrate on the rest of the day. I contribute as much as I can, but my mind simply won't stay put in the present, not when I keep wondering why the sprites and Narnians are separate. It's very strange, at least to me, and I can barely believe I never thought of it before now.

I'm guiltily relieved when the sun sinks below the horizon, and Mother adjourns the council until tomorrow morning. Apparently there are battle plans and strategies to argue about, but I don't think Ainslie and I will be needed for that. I turn out to be wrong: Ainslie promises Mother to be there tomorrow, but I'm excused because the council wants answers regarding Hallan as fast as possible, and I can't do much in that regard if I'm sitting in council all day. But I'm happy that Ann promises to bring up the idea of sending one of our own to look out for King Caspian. We know our kind, however wayward one might be.

But I really don't mind in the slightest about going to the healing house; after all, I can visit Rhos while I'm there. I never got to see her yesterday or today, since yesterday Lassen kept me busy and today, well, I've been in council, obviously.

I remain quiet and pensive throughout dinner, and I only hum in response when Ainslie and Mother wish me goodnight. Maybe I'll have to go look up my question in the library tonight; I'm unlikely to get any sleep with the questions racing around so dizzyingly in my head. But if Ainslie notices me going to the library this late, she's sure to worry, so I head to my room and at least make an effort to try and get some sleep. I only nod off for an hour or so, and after waking from another dream about Caspian and I arguing on the _Dawn Treader_, I don't have any desire to sleep any more.

Tiptoeing carefully out of my room, I scuttle down the silent, dark hallways to the library in the dead of night. Everyone else in the entire palace seems to be asleep, and I resist a sudden urge to run outside and go for a wild midnight ride on Asha. I shouldn't, not with the war going on. It'd rather dangerous and a hundred times more foolish. So I content myself with skipping quietly through the bookshelves, and soon enough I have several books on the history of Narnia stacked in my arms.

Humming ever so quietly, I hurry to a chair next to a window and curl up, using the light of the waxing moon to read by. Thank goodness for sprite eyesight, otherwise my eyes would be burning after the first page. I skim my way through the first two books as slowly as I dare, and I curb my disappointment when I find no mention of the strange divide between the sprites and the Narnians. I work my way through a third and fourth and fifth, and by the time I start the sixth, dawn can't be more than an hour or so away. I'm growing frustrated, and I have to lace my fingers together so I won't toss the thick tome in the air in my antsy aggravation.

After a good half-hour of skimming and reading partial paragraphs, I come across a section about the White Witch. I'm about to skip over it, but I decide I might as well skim it, at minimum. After the first page on the topic, I'm glad I did.

I can't help but wonder if Mother was queen all the way back then. I know sprites usually live a long time, but I've never found out just how long. I'm very much hoping that Mother wasn't queen during the reign of the White Witch, because this old book seems to think that the sprites were on the side of the Witch, not the side of Aslan and Narnia. I don't want to think that my mother sided with the White Witch, for obvious reasons.

Reading further, I'm both comforted and saddened when I learn that the sprites had a civil war over the issue of siding with the Witch. I'm proud that at least half of my people stayed true to Narnia, but I wish there hadn't been a division in the first place. And I'm praying my mother wasn't the ruling queen at the time. I'm not entirely sure what I'd think if she was.

Somehow, my thoughts take a sudden turn in another direction, towards a responsibility I've yet to think on. Nikki. I knew Caspian would have her - well, he planned on both of us - at Cair Paravel; I heard him tell Lilliandil of it when he extended the gesture to her as well. But still, something isn't sitting right with me. Well actually, I know exactly what's bugging me. I just don't want to admit it. Still...it's just me. I'd be a horrible coward if I couldn't admit it even to myself. I'm supposed to be strong, right? That's an image I used to have, and didn't I decide I should try and rebuild the pitiful image I acquired before?

Fine. I shouldn't have left Nikki on her own like that.

Now that I've voiced it to myself, I can't help my guilt. I really shouldn't have left her on her own like I did...

It's tempting to really sit down and think about that, but it's dawn now and I'm expected to start on my task of weaseling information out of Hallan as soon as possible.

So I head on down to the infirmary, and Lassen greets me looking very relieved that I'm here.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here yesterday, I was-"

"Quite alright, Highness. There is plenty to be done today, if you wish to stay and help."

"I can help, but I also must spend some valuable time with Hallan. I do hope you understand." I look over meaningfully at the man's sleeping form, and I can't help but be a little relieved that I don't have to deal with him just yet. I agreed to subtly get info, but I'm not necessarily looking forward to it. It'll be a slow and painful task, I'm sure.

Lassen seems to understand my meaning, and nods discreetly. It occurs to me that perhaps Hallan might be faking his sleep, and I'm happy Lassen chose to answer me without words.

"Come Highness, there is much to do."

I follow Lassen into the back and gather his supplies for him, and we work for a few hours until the sun's fully risen. Happily, Rhos is one of the patients we tend to, and Lassen allows me a few minutes to talk to her. She's really coming along very well, for how extensive her injuries were. She still can't talk much, but it's more of a precaution now.

Whispering quietly to make sure no one can overhear, a man that may or may not be asleep more accurately, I tell her what I'm supposed to do with Hallan. The instant it leaves my lips, she looks at me like I'm nuts.

"Dangerous!" she hisses, pointing to the man with her eyes.

"I know, but I've got to do this. Think how much help it could be!" I'm hard-pressed to keep my voice as quiet as before. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Hallan stirring and Lassen beckoning, and I tell Rhos not to worry, I'll be fine and she needs to just concentrate on getting better as fast as she can. At her tired nod, I leave her and go to Lassen, who's waiting next to Hallan's cot.

"Clean his wounds, Highness. I will be attending to this patient." Lassen moves to the patient, a middle-aged woman, on Hallan's immediate left. It's a good move; he can keep an eye on me to make sure I'm safe, but if it's just Hallan and me, it makes my ulterior job a bit easier.

I dip the soft cloth in my hand in the bowl of warm water Lassen put on a portable table next to the cot, and I try not to flinch away as Hallan starts to wake.

"Ah, thought that gentle touch'd be Your Highnesses," he sneers, clearly mocking me, but also giving himself away. His voice is far too clear for him to have only woken up. Apparently, he never practiced his sleepy voice.

"Been up a while?" I retort, biting back a few very choice remarks that come to mind.

"I can't imagine what Your Royal Highness means."

"You know damn well what I mean. And you can drop the formality. I can see how bitter it tastes in your mouth." I try to resist the slight urge to dab at the actual wounds with the cloth, because I know that'd sting. It's warm water, but also salt water. Cleanses the outside of the wound, so Lassen tells me.

"Much obliged, but it'd be easier if I actually knew your name."

"What, you never heard?"

"No." He snickers meanly up at me, and I glare right back even though he still frightens me. I've got a job to do, and I can't let him see me as weak. He needs to see me as an equal, not prey.

"It's Laurah. Do try not to forget," I respond with as much sarcasm as he has distaste.

"I shall endeavor to remember."

I roll my eyes and resist my inclination to let a few drops of the mildly salted water drop into a particularly nasty-looking wound. Still, he hisses through his teeth when I simply clean around the edges.

"Must you scrub away at me with that cloth so vigorously?"

"If you'd like me to scrub, all you have to do is say so." I clean the wound a little rougher than before, just to prove that it could be a lot worse.

"Point taken, Highness," he mocks, practically snarling at me.

All I do is scrub a bit harder. Only when he curses and mutters a grudging apology do I relent. I know we're just playing a little game right now, so my fear begins to subside. He can do nothing to me, not while he's laid up in here. I have nothing to fear from him, other than the dark magic I can smell on him.

"Do you bathe in that smell, or does it just come naturally?" I grumble, mostly to myself but knowing he'll hear.

"Beg pardon?"

"Very well; you have it." I manage to bury my tiny smirk of satisfaction when he quirks an eyebrow at me.

"Odd, for a princess to work in a sick house."

"Odd, for a soldier to smell of magic," I fire right back, gazing steadily into his piercing stare. His eyes are fierce and dark and grey, like a thunderhead that hasn't spilled its wrath on the earth below just yet. They seem naturally broody and moody, and I can just barely pick out a few swirls of pale green in there among the grey. So that's why he smells of dark magic.

"Keen sense of smell?"

"Not especially."

"Keen perceptiveness then?"

"Knowledge, nothing more."

"Ah, so you know magic as well."

"I know its effects." As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I'm puzzled as to why they left it in the first place.

I look away from Hallan, using the excuse of dipping the cloth back in the water as my cover. But his hand flashes out and grabs my wrist, and I look sharply at him, expecting him to mock me again and fully ready to play this game. Surprisingly, his eyes are rather...soft. Calm. Almost like those four words got through to him.

"You've seen her as well?" A stupid, ridiculous grin that has no place on a brawny face like his spread across his harsh features. "Is she not the most enchanting thing you have ever laid your eyes on?"

"Oh yes, quite," I answer, with no little amount of sarcasm.

"Do not mock the lady! She is so very kind and gracious, and unutterably lovely."

"Fascinating, really."

"She is-"

"Cut the puppy love, Romeo. It's disgusting," I cut him off, very bluntly stating my opinion on his rather ridiculous transformation from tough piece of shit to groveling and infatuated piece of shit. Essentially, he's a piece of shit either way, but I like the second kind even worse than the first. I'm about to offer a very smart remark about how utterly doltish his 'puppy love' is, but then I remember my task. What if this "most enchanting lady" is behind the attacks on my people?

"I do not see how-"

"I am sorry. I often speak without thinking through my words. I meant no disrespect." I almost gag as the words roll smoothly off my tongue, but I manage to stow it away. I can always vent to Ainslie tonight.

He pauses and studies me every bit as acutely as he's ever done, and he seems satisfied with my apology.

"Well, I suppose it's alright. The great lady would be forgiving, and so must I be."

I almost choke on a laugh, seeing this massive fellow reduced to such a babbling, nonsensical twit, but I cover for myself by pretending to sneeze. Hallan's too busy daydreaming to notice, or care, so I'm safe.

"What is she like? This lady of yours?"

"Oh she's a most wondrous creature, so very beautiful to behold," he begins, and I refrain from mentioning dryly that he's said that before.

"Ever so dainty and delicate, and so soft-spoken that everything around her gives pause that they might hear her melodious voice. Her dress is a vibrant green, more fresh and eye-catching that even the greenest grass of spring. The lady often strums her little mandolin and sings so sweetly to all her admirers, and even the fire sweetens its smoke to better compliment her lovely song."

"Your lady sounds quite...wonderful," I manage, somehow keeping the disdain from my voice.

"She is not MY lady; I am content to do her bidding without having much claim on her. Indeed, she is far too extraordinary to be possessed by any one creature."

"Forgive my ignorance," I reply, laying it on as thick as I can without bursting into hysterical laughter.

"Ah, you are well forgiven, princess. Do not worry yourself."

"Oh I shan't, fear not." My face desperately wants to break its serious facade, and I have trouble controlling the little twitches the corners of my mouth seem insistent on making. All of a sudden, a pang hits my chest and tears prick at my eyes, though I have no idea why. Something about this pretending to be serious business feels achingly familiar, and my thoughts fly to Caspian. _Caspian._ For some reason, his name hurts when I think it, and I quickly turn my head back to cleaning the last of Hallan's wounds so he won't see the tears dripping slowly down my cheeks.

It feels - felt - so _familiar_, that put-on seriousness that made me want to laugh. And it hurts, and I can't answer Hallan's questions as to why I've suddenly gone quiet and would I like to hear more about the lady and oh I shouldn't feel bad for him that she isn't his lady. I can only shush him a bit more harshly than I should and clean the last of the dried blood from his skin. I'm still crying silently when I excuse myself to tend to the other patients, and I still don't know why.

For a moment, it almost feels like Caspian's going to pop up out of nowhere and comfort me, like he did after my screaming fits on the _Dawn Treader_, but I know I'm just being silly.

But it still hurts.

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**Chapter 3, all done! It's always kinda odd for me to edit these chapters while trying to write chapter 22 XD **

**Please take a moment and let me know what ya thought! I do love hearing from people! :D**


	5. Chapter 4

**Well it seems y'all don't mind faster updates, so I'll update every other day now ;) Besides, I need to get myself in gear XD I leave for college in 10 days, and I need to finish my writing by then! I'm on Chapter 22 right now, and have yet to even start 23, 24, or the epilogue! I'll be doing that the rest of today, since I desperately have to finish at least the writing! Haha so if you PM me and it takes me 2 or 3 days to reply, that's why :} I apologize in advance for any inconvenience!**

**And all of my regular reviewers reviewed the last chapter, which makes me happier than y'all even know! Thank you so much Garideth, Evy201, joycelyn. , and NymphadoraLupin98, it means a heck of a lot to little writing me! **

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 4**

**Nikki POV:**

"So, now that we know that delightful bit of information, I say we go and start a food fight to distract ourselves. How's that sound, Lilli?"

"I fear that would be far from the wisest course of action..."

"Don't worry, I was just joking," I reassure the star.

"Now would also not be the time to draw quick conclusions," Lilliandil rushes to say, looking at me pointedly.

"I never said I was..." I turn the sprite arrow over and over in my hands, trying to keep my speed-train thoughts under some semblance of control.

"You never had to." Lilli smiles slightly, so I of course have to smile back.

"I'm not jumping to conclusions, but why would a sprite try to kill Cas? I mean, aren't relations pretty peaceful?"

"I confess there is little I can tell you in that matter," Lilli says apologetically. I guess she hasn't been alive to know the history between the two.

"No matter. I think it's time I buried my wee little nose in a history book about the two. I'm sure this didn't come out of nowhere."

"Nikki?"

"Mmhm?"

"Perhaps...this arrow was not fired by a sprite."

"What're you getting at?"

"I do believe it could be possible that the sprites' enemy only wishes us to think the sprites attempted to kill King Caspian."

Light. Bulb.

"Wait a second...holy tornado, you might be right! Do you think they did that so the Narnians would start looking to get even with the sprites, and then poor sprites would be attacked from two sides and they'd lose even quicker?"

"I believe it could be possible, yes."

"Lilliandil, daughter of Ramandu, you are a genius I tell you! Sheer, undeniable, brilliantly brilliant genius!" I'm about to do a happy dance around the library, but then another thought strikes me as odd. "But then the baddies must not know a whole lot about Caspian, because he'd never attack the sprites. Laurah's one of them, after all. And Narnians aren't too vengeful, from what I've seen."

"I think it unlikely they know of Laurah and King Caspian's relationship."

"If you can call it that," I mutter under my breath. Those two are even more in the grey zone than MopMan and I.

"All the same, do you not agree?"

"Yeah, you've got a good point. Honestly, Lils, you are so genius I could bear-hug you right now!" I shriek, dancing in place. What would we do without this star, I ask you?

"Bear-hug?" she asks, tilting her head slightly to the side in confusion.

"Yeah, bear-hug! That kind of hug that makes the huggees' spine crack and the hugger's arms almost fall off?"

Lilliandil's eyes widen, and I can't help but laugh at her innocent fear.

"Don't worry, friends do it to each other all the time! No one walks away hurt, I promise."

"That would be most unfortunate," a deep voice says from somewhere behind me.

I whip around to see a bearded, slightly tubby old fellow standing a little ways off, face crinkled into a smile.

"Hi there! I'm Nikki, who're you?"

"I am Professor Cornelius. You must be Laurah's friend, whom Caspian speaks of."

"The one and only Nikki Stevens, at your service!" I dip into a purposely-silly curtsy, waving hi at the same time. It's a miracle I don't topple over when I almost lose my balance.

"A pleasure. Is there something I can help you with, my ladies?" The good professor addresses both me and Lilli, and I remember my manners.

"Oh, Professor Cornelius, this is Lilliandil, in case you didn't know already. She's...well I'm sure it's kind of obvious she's a star."

"Ah, a pleasure to make your acquaintance at last, my lady," he replies with a bow.

Lilli cursties and I think all the introductions are in order at last.

"So Professor Cornelius, do you know anything about the sprites and the Narnians? As in, and history of bad blood between the two?"

"I know little of the sprites; they have kept mostly to themselves over the years. However, there is surely more information in some of these books and scrolls."

"What do you know about the sprites, off the top of your head?"

Professor Cornelius just looks at me funny, and it occurs to me that maybe I should phrase that last bit differently.

"As in, what do you know without looking anything up? You know, straight from memory as opposed to researching the answer?"

"Ah. Forgive me my dear, I was unfamiliar with the turn of speech. The little I know of them is this: Laurah, Caspian's fiancee, was a member of their kind, and they dwell in the woods of Narnia, only maintaining steady relations with the dryads. They used to be far more in tune with the Narnians, but they withdrew when the White Witch invaded."

"Huh...I guess that makes sense," I answer, because it does make sense logically. It doesn't sit well, for some reason, but it's logically sound. Of course they withdrew during the White Witch's time as head honcho, they probably didn't know who to trust.

Professor Cornelius nods, but I can tell he's skeptical of the whole thing, just like me.

"You distrust the sprites' disappearance from Narnian history?" he asks, though I think he's already guessed my answer.

"Well...maybe not distrust, but I do find it...I'm not sure, weird? Odd? Puzzling."

"A rather wise reaction, my dear," replies the professor, peering at my pensive face through his spectacles.

"Is there no mention of the sprites in the Narnian histories, after the Witch's rule?" Lilliandil asks, and I'm half-expecting another ingenius remark to pop out of her mouth.

"Precious little mention is given, and what mention there is to be found has little to say."

"Well that just helps ever so much. Who wrote the history books?" I grouse. How am I supposed to understand the sprites if no one wrote about them, darn it?

"I suspect the sprites were more than a little scarce, Nikki. To even catch sight of one must have been rare enough; how could the Narnians write a history about them?" Lilli once again soothes my frustration.

"Alright, I guess you have a point."

"And you may dispose of your remaining aggravation during your training. Which you just so happen to be late for, Nikki."

I whirl around a few times before I notice Jaystorm standing at the library door, looking quite stern.

"Oopsie, am I late?"

"Quite."

I'm answered by MopMan, who's come up next to Jaystorm. Now I have two males staring me down.

"Oh alright you two, I'm coming. Though I hardly think training's going to help me relax." I'll be dead-tired, miserable, and disgustingly sweaty after the first half-hour, guaranteed. At this point, I'm not sure who liked teasing me more: MopMan or Jaystorm. They're both little rascals. The only difference is that I've kissed the human one of them.

"Bye Professor, bye Lilli. I'll probably see you two at dinner." I wave a hesitant goodbye and follow the two pistols out of the castle and to the training grounds.

"Shall we pick up a small sword, Nikki?"

"MopMan, do you mean to tell me that neither one of you thought to visit the armory before you came and got me?" I snort at his slightly-ashamed expression. "There's chivalry for ya." Still, I turn with a sigh and head to the armory, MopMan trotting along behind me.

Jaystorm says he'll meet me and Sadrian at the training grounds, and I do a double-take before I realize the centaur was talking about MopMan.

"You know, MopMan, I'd almost forgotten your real name," I chuckle, nudging him into the doorframe as we enter the armory.

Quicker than I can blink, he sweeps me aside behind a rack of spears, and I find myself inches from him.

"What's this about, now?" My whisper almost melts into the clanging of metal as weapons are retrieved and hung back up.

In answer, MopMan closes the distance between us. I can't help but smirk into the kiss, even though I rather enjoy it myself. If MopMan notices, he doesn't object.

When he pulls away, I can see that his ears have turned a rather comical shade of red. I have to stop myself from teasing him about it. I'm not so heartless as to try to get his goat after he's just kissed me.

"I beg your pardon, Nikki, but I simply couldn't help myself. It has been a while, you know," he murmurs, looking at the floor and wearing a mixture of bashfulness and satisfaction and mischievousness.

In answer, I bring my lips back to his.

When I pull away, I smile softly and reassure him, "You're quite forgiven."

The bashfulness and mischievousness and satisfaction all fade from his face, leaving behind something I don't recognize. I'm about to ask what's on his mind, but I realize I don't need to know, not right now. I'm content to let things be as they are between us.

"Would you consider coming home with me one day? To meet my family?"

"Erm...sure. That'd be grand." I put on my most winning smile and ignore the slight twist my stomach gives. Nikki Stevens does not get nervous about meeting the family of a guy she likes.

"Do not worry, they are sure to love you," he says warmly, touching my cheek in the most tender gesture he's ever shown me to date.

"Who said I'm worried?" I retort, inclining my chin to show my sass.

"No one needed to," he answers, smirking in his distinctly MopMan way.

"Oh hush and let's get the swords then."

I start to walk back into the open, but MopMan - Sadrian - pulls me back in for one more kiss.

"Better?"

I nod. "Yes, a bit."

I attempt to walk to get those swords again, but he just pulls me back toward him. I'm about to open my mouth and remind him that Jaystorm's waiting and we'll never hear the end of the teasing if he figures out we're something of a couple, but Sadrian's lips on mine shush me right up. It seems more appropriate to call him by his real name in moments like this.

His lips move to kiss my right cheek, and then my left.

"And now?"

"More better."

"Grammar, my lady," he laughs, his breath tickling my neck as he brushes several kisses there.

"You expect me to think about grammar right now? Really?" I whine, knowing he's enjoying getting me a little flustered. My breath hitches when his teeth graze my upper neck, and I can sense him smirking in satisfaction.

"And now?" he breathes, purposely letting his breath tickle my ear.

"Very good, but still not fair," I whisper back, wrinkling my nose when he runs a gentle finger over the goosebumps that've decided to sprout up on my arms.

He just smiles and leads me out into the open, and I glare half-heartedly at his back. The little rascal, the cheeky little devil, the...the...Oh bother it all.

I can tell he knows the exact train of my thoughts when he hands me a short little sword, and I swat his arm lightly when he waggles his eyebrows.

"Come on you, Jaystorm's going to get very very suspicious if we take much longer."

I proceed to tug MopMan out of the armory and to the training grounds, where Jaystorm is waiting with a raised eyebrow.

"That took a while, didn't it?"

"Jaystorm," I warn, "drop it."

The centaur lifts his hands in a gesture of defeat, and I nod my approval.

The two of them attempt to teach me the art of swordfighting and sparring in the next few hours, up until the sun sinks completely behind the horizon. Surprisingly, I don't mind too much that I completely and totally fail. Epically.

* * *

**Laurah POV:**

"Have you had much progress with the rebel?" Mother asks when I come back to the palace.

Hallan was tired after spouting about that lady for a good hour or two, and I decided to come back for lunch before Ainslie snags me for practice and training.

"A little, but mostly he just acted looney," I answer with a sigh.

"Do not give up, daughter. Remember this is only the first day." Mother comforts me further by putting an arm around my shoulders, and I relax into a the soothing embrace only mothers can give.

"It seems like forever since I felt this," I murmur, closing my eyes in contentment.

"Felt what, my daughter?"

"A mother's touch, and a mother's comfort." I quirk my lips upward into a lopsided smile. "You're good at giving it."

Mother smiles against my hair, and a comfortable silence settles between us. I rather like these quiet moments. It proves that sometimes, we don't need words; sometimes just sitting and simply being is enough.

Eventually though, I realize I'd like to know a bit more about this war. I'm loathe to break the peace, but I really ought to know more. I am a princess, after all.

"Mother?"

"Yes?"

"How did the war start?"

"I had expected your sister would have explained it to you before now."

"She gave me an overview, but I'd just seen Rhos looking quite awful, and she didn't want to go into too much detail and risk upsetting me further. At least, I inferred as much."

"Ah, then your sister was right to spare you, at that time."

"But really, I'm okay now. What happened?"

Mother sighs, almost like she's disappointed to have to tell me. Maybe she's just worried for me. Still, she answers me.

"We did nothing to provoke them. The first attack happened almost immediately before the Narnian King Caspian left on his voyage eastward. I'd long heard whispers of a looming war, but they always lead me to believe the Narnians would be fighting against us. The rumors started the same week you left Narnia, and I'm afraid I was rather cold to the Narnians as a result."

"Rumors about the Narnians attacking? Why would anyone start that?" I wonder aloud. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Sprites and Narnians have always gotten along, haven't they?

"I can't say, daughter. Perhaps they wished to pit us against each other."

"But surely they'd know better. Relations between us have always been cordial at minimum, right?"

My mother's silence only confuses me further.

"Right?"

"No, daugher, not always."

Mother seems very hesitant to talk about it, but my curiosity keeps tugging at me. Still, I decide to let that subject wait for another day.

"Oh. But the first attack?"

"The first attack came at dusk, when I was out for a ride. When I came back, I saw the veiled men attacking the village and the palace. They withdrew rather suddenly not long after I joined the fight with our people."

"Curious..." I murmur. That is rather odd. I've never known an attacking group to withdraw all of a sudden unless they were losing very badly. Judging by Mother's face, the sprites were the ones losing, not these rebels, or attackers, or whatever we call them.

"Quite. We organized at once, and sent out armed groups to hunt them down or find them. Every one of these groups has failed, and only a handful of their members are still alive. Ainslie told you all we know of the rebels, yes?"

"Yes. Thank you, for filling me in."

"Thank you for wishing to know, daughter. You will make a fine companion and advisor to Ainslie, when she is queen."

"Oh Mother, I hardly think Ainslie will need much help from me. She's going to be an amazing queen."

"Do not be so sure. She will be a wonderful queen, but even wonderful queens need help."

"Then I'll be there when she needs me, and even when she doesn't."

"My beautiful girl." Mother touches my cheek as tears well up in her eyes, though I'm not sure why.

I lean into my mother's touch and thank the heavens for giving me such a wonderful family. I'm really quite lucky.

We sit like that for a while, and I'd be content to stay here for the rest of the day. However, Mother has a better head for duty than I do.

"Now, I do believe that man should be waking from his beauty sleep soon."

"Oh Mother, it's amusing to hear you refer to him like that!" I laugh. "It seems you dislike him even more than I do."

"No one frightens my daughter," she replies, looking half-serious and half-joking.

"Well as of today I'm more inclined to laugh at him or feel sorry for him than be afraid of him, so we're in luck," I joke back.

"Brave girl. Run along now, else he'll surely miss you." Mother's eyes twinkle merrily as she nudges me back toward the palace doors.

"Perish the thought!"

We both laugh as I scamper along outside, and for the first time I actually feel ready for whatever Hallan's got cooked up this time.

On my way to the infirmary, I run into a very put-out looking Ainslie.

"Forget about training, did we sister?" Even as she attempts to look chastising, her lips twitch with a contained laugh.

"Erm...actually...well..." I duck my head sheepishly, trying not to look too amused.

"Alright, I see where you're headed. But this merits a midnight session, you hear?"

"A midnight session?" I'm more thrilled than upset by the idea. Maybe I'll have to forget about our practice sessions more often.

"And sister? Mother agreed to send one of our best to keep your king safe."

I blush slightly at that, even though I'm grateful.

"He's not mine, Ann. But that's good news. Thank you." My sigh of thanks and relief gushes out before I bother to second-guess it. When it's done, I remember my task, and start to step in the direction of the healing house.

"Go on then, and get some information out of that rat. I expect to see you at dinner." Ainslie smiles and shoos me in her fond, slightly amused way.

"I'll be there," I promise.

Ainslie finally lets out the laugh that's been tugging at her mouth, and I echo her as I walk the rest of the way to the infirmary.

Sure enough, Hallan's awake when I get there. Unsurprisingly, he stares at me the minute I step in the door. I'm pleased that it doesn't rattle me quite as much as it did the first time he did it.

"Couldn't stay away, could you, princess?"

"It would seem not," I respond, unafraid to employ a little sarcasm. If he can be biting, so can I.

"I see you've found your sass."

"I see you haven't found your respect."

He says something else snarky, but I choose to ignore him.

Lassen rushes over to me as soon as he notices I'm back and tells me that Hallan needs the wrapping changed on his torso wounds, and I have little choice but to say I'll take care of it.

On my way to the back to get the new wrappings, bowl of water, and a clean cloth, I stop by Rhoslyn's cot and check in with her. She's recovering steadily, but she still isn't supposed to talk a whole lot. It's better for her to save her strength for letting her body heal. She still wants to hear about anything new, but today there really isn't anything to report. So I let her rest and gather the supplies.

I'm growing accustomed to Hallan's constant stare, so I don't feel as awkward and bumbling as before. Even though he shoots me what could be interpreted as a suggestive look when I pull his sheets back and begin unwrapping his torso, I focus on my work. I'm here to change the damn wrappings, not flirt in a twisted sort of way.

Still, I'm caught dangerously off-guard when one of his fingers brushes along my cheek. I manage to keep from swatting his hand away, but only because one of the fingers on that hand is broken and I don't want Lassen to have to reset the bone.

"Keep your hand off me, please," I grit out through my teeth, glaring at him through my eyelashes.

"You have both your hands all over me," he returns, his eyes boring into me.

"I wouldn't if I had a choice, trust me."

He can't seem to think of a comeback for that, and I'm happy to be able to work in peace. At least, I can clean his wound in peace. I've just begun to wrap it in the clean bandages when he speaks up again.

"What do you do with your spare time, princess?"

The simple question catches me more off guard than his finger on my cheek, because it's a normal question. And nothing about this man is normal.

I sit there, flabbergasted out of any sort of response, as he stares me down. But something's different about this stare. It's not quite as...demanding as the others.

"Um...not much. I don't have loads of free time." The words slip past my lips before I can think of what I'm going to say, and by the way Hallan narrows his eyes, it's not the answer he wanted. At least, not the kind of answer he wanted.

"I expected more, princess. A past-time at least."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but we're a little busy around here. There isn't any time for hobbies."

"Surely you had one before the war."

"What's it to you?"

"Curiousity."

"Fine. I was a dancer. As in formal dancing, not what you're thinking of."

"How would you know what I happen to thinking of?" he replies, his tone suggesting an eye roll or two.

"Men like you tend not to have the cleanest of minds." Maybe Hallan unnerves me so much because he reminds me of my human dad. They speak similarly, at least in style.

"Men like me?" he scoffs, practically dismissing me.

"Don't take me for an innocent," I spit back, trying not to take out my shortness on Hallan's wounds.

"What are you then, princess?"

"I'm not a what; I'm a who."

As soon as I finish with Hallan's bandages, I leave him. I help Lassen until it's time for me to head back to the palace for dinner, just like I promised Ainslie I would. Naturally, she's waiting for me by the front doors, though she's retained at least a semblance of patience. We share a secret smile over the upcoming midnight practice session.

Dinner passes quickly, and I excuse myself to go to bed soon after. Ainslie promises to wake me up when it's time to go train, but I desperately need a little rest before swinging sharp objects around.

Surprisingly, I'm not so tired that I can't dream, and I can't tell if the dreams about marrying both Hallan and Caspian are visions or just dreams. I can't help but hope for the latter. I really don't want to marry anyone.

I'm almost relieved when Ainslie shakes me awake rather vigorously, though I don't mention my struggles to sort out dreams from visions. It's such a minor concern, really, when compared to the war and whatnot.

"Time for your midnight training, sister!"

"Alright Ainslie, I'm up." I tumble out of bed and trot out into the hallway after her, happy I slept in my clothes.

She really wasn't joking about making sure I can take care of myself on a battlefield. We don't even look at swordfighting until it's almost dawn. Instead, my impossible excuse for a sister forces me to practice the darn archery for hours on end. When I complain, she lets me use throwing knives for a few minutes.

"You'll thank me later, sister," she chimes whenever I threaten to throw down the weapons and stalk back to my bed.

"Don't bet on it," I grumble, adopting a very wry expression when the sky starts to lighten.

"You may go back to bed at dawn."

"No need to worry about me surviving on a battlefield; I'll be dead before I even get there!"

"Do explain yourself, sister."

"Sleep deprivation!" I answer, my voice raising as I let another arrow loose from the string. My eyebrows almost fly off my face when it lands on the edge of the secondmost-inner ring. "Well holy sheet."

"Perhaps you should be more frustrated with the bow when you practice!" Ainslie laughs, finally relenting and handing me a pair of sais.

"Maybe we should just stick to the sais and can the bow!" I retort, taking my first swing rather liberally.

After a few hard-fought spars, Ainslie suddenly stops and looks at me strangely.

"He's getting to you, isn't he?"

"I hate him!" I yell, not even caring who hears. I punctuate my shout by hurling one of my sais at the archery target. Both Ainslie and I are shocked when it embeds itself in the middle of the bull's eye.

"See, I'm better with sword," I grouse, going to retrieve the weapon dutifully.

"What did he say?"

I stall for time as I wrench one of my sais from the target and walk back slowly.

"He asked me what I do with my free time. You know, as in hobbies. Why the hell would he ask that? And why does he keep staring at me? I hate that! I'm learning to ignore it, but I still hate it!"

"Do you suppose he was simply trying to make pleasant conversation?"

"I'm not even sure he understands the meaning of 'pleasant conversation,'" I spew right back, and it feels a little relieving to vent a little.

"Then you shall have to teach him, sister."

"Well I don't really have a choice, now do I?" I can't help my grumbling, even though I'd now like to. "Maybe I'll just lock lips with him to shut him up! It worked on Caspian."

"I am not sure that approach comes highly recommended, my dear sister," Ainslie laughs, more amused than anything else.

"Then maybe you happen to have a gag and blindfold I could borrow?" Her amusement is starting to wear off on me, and it's easier to be joking instead of angry.

"I do wish I did, truly."

"Oh well, it wouldn't be good for diplomacy reasons, I suppose."

When we both burst out laughing, I feel so much better than before. In fact, I almost feel ready for another day with Hallan. Almost.

"Well lookie that, it's sunrise already. I guess I'd better be off to the infirmary, as per usual."

"Very well. I can take care of all the weapons," Ainslie offers, reaching for mine.

"Thanks, sis. See you at dinner!"

* * *

"You know, I told you that I like to dance. But you have yet to tell me what you like to do with your time. Laying on this cot notwithstanding, that is." If Hallan wants to play the 'get to know you' game, I can roll with that.

"The great lady-"

"And other than praise her ladyship. I mean hobbies."

"Hobbies?"

"Yes, _hobbies_. Fly-fishing? Catching rabbits with your toes? Knitting hideous scarves? Grilling wishbones? Anything other than soldiering and fighting and praising that lady?" Honestly, I'd hoped he'd be at least a little more...multi-faceted.

His face drops its usual condescending, snarky look in favor of a more gentle, pensive expression. I can't help but do a double take, because I'm used to Hallan looking constantly belittling. Even after only a few days, it's what I'm used to.

"I...I'm not quite sure, if you must know. I think I once enjoyed whittling wood, but it has been such a long time."

"How about I find a block of wood and a small knife, and you can see if it still appeals to you?" Anything to keep him occupied with something other than inventing new ways of making me uncomfortable.

His eyes narrow and his mouth frowns in response to the suggestion.

"And why would the princess do that?"

"Maybe she just wants to keep you busy."

"I am busy; I am healing."

"Your body's cells can do that without any help from you. I'll get the damn wood, and you can do what you like with it."

"...Thank you."

I instantly freeze from rewrapping his broken finger.

"What did you say?"

"I said thank you. Is that not the polite thing to say?"

"Well...yes, it is, but...since when have you ever been polite, especially to me?"

"I can be polite when I choose to be, princess. It seems you can too."

"...Yes, I suppose so."

Okay, maybe he is multi-faceted after all. Maybe I can get him to act like this more often. When he's not trying to bully or intimidate me, he's almost pleasant to be around. Almost like a friend, almost like someone I could possibly trust.

Almost.

But when I dream of him and Caspian at each other's throats, I can't help but wonder on that last bit.

* * *

**Okay, time to go write for hours on end XD Man, I miss word wars...the forums are practically dead now that Camp NaNo's over! :(**

**Please do let me know what ya thought! I did act on a suggestion for a piece of Caspian POV, so if there's something you want in this story, definitely let me know and I'll do my absolute best to get it in ;)**


	6. Chapter 5

**Wow, the feedback I've been getting is making me happier than a bowl of java chip ice cream! Thank you soooo much all you wonderful wonderful reviewers! Speaking of which, thank you to Guest for reviewing, and I'm sorry I couldn't reply via PM :} But here's my reply below!**

**Guest - Thank you so much, it's always great to hear that my writing is well-received! Rest assured I've got a Caspian POV worked in, though it won't appear for another 6 chapters or so :)**

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**I've said it before, I know, but I've got to say it again! Thank you so so much to everyone who reads, follows, favorites, and/or reviews this story or any of my writing! It really does mean the world to me!**

**Enjoy! :D**

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**Chapter 5**

**Nikki POV:**

After a week or so, Caspian is finally allowed to walk around and be somewhere other than his room. It's quite relieving, especially because he seems to recover even quicker now that he can go about a semi-normal life. One day it crosses my mind that Lucy's cordial probably could have solved the problem in less than a minute, but when I ask Cas about it, he simply says that he only uses the cordial in times of utmost need. I'm pretty sure that decodes to 'only if someone's gonna die without it.' Once again, I say: Laurah done good.

"Well Cas, you're looking especially pensive and serious today. What's new?"

"Nothing good, I'm afraid," he confesses, worry taking up residence on his face.

"Out with it."

"One of the search parties was found slaughtered deep in the forest. You were wise to suggest against them, Nikki."

"Oh...well that's...kind of...awful..." Wait a second. Wait a cotton-picking minute! (Hey, Bugs Bunny moment!)

"What is it, Nikki?"

"LIGHT. BULB."

Caspian only looks at me with an expression of the utmost confusion written across his features, and I rush to explain.

"Remember how I told you that the arrow that embedded itself into your royal shoulder was a sprite arrow?"

"Indeed you did."

"And how Lilli had that brilliant theory about someone framing the sprites?"

"Yes, Nikki," he responds patiently.

"Well don't ya think it could've been the same guys?"

Enlightenment dawns on his royal face, and he looks at me like I'm a genius.

"Nikki, you are brilliant!"

"I know. Thank Lilli, her ingenuity rubs off on me."

All of a sudden, he sombers again.

"Yet we have no way of knowing who the enemy is."

"Not yet," I correct optimistically, fixing that king with a scathing look. "Let's keep a little optimism in the picture, shall we?"

"Yes, Nikki." He humors me much like my older brother tends to do when I spout about a TV show or new movie we simply must see in theaters.

"Oh, and when are you supposed to be good as new?"

"We've a while yet to wait, Nikki."

"You have the patience of a true saint, my friend." I have to stop myself from clapping him on the back, in favor of not jostling his shoulder.

"Thank you. Now, shall we to dinner?"

"Sure thing. Though I warn you here and now: if you've invited MopMan again and sat him next to me, I'll never forgive you."

He lets out one of his slightly-rare laughs and asks, "Why would you say that?"

"Because Jaystorm never stops teasing me about it. And I'd rather not have to tie him to the _Dawn Treader_ and set her on course into a storm or over a waterfall."

"Then I feel I must warn you that he has joined us again tonight."

"That's it, I refuse to forgive you."

"I suppose it is lucky I never asked you to." Caspian's eyes twinkle with merriment, and I mentally pat myself on the back for cheering him up. He's made long strides in seeing the lighter side to life.

"Smart ass. Come on then, to a surely-painful dinner we go."

"May I make one request, Nikki?"

"Sure thing. I'll make a point to refuse it."

"Do try to keep yourself in check around Sadrian."

"Whatever do you mean by that? It's not like we're going to make out at the table!" I scoff, my indignant face softening into a rather amused one when Caspian's face takes on a slightly-adorable shade of red. "Oh Cas my darling adopted older brother, you really are too precious when you're embarrassed!" I laugh.

He wrinkles his face, unsure whether to refute my affectionate claim or laugh at it and play along.

Luckily for him, we're a fair clip from the dining hall yet. I'll have plenty of time to make him turn even redder, I'm sure. If only Laurah were here, things would be ten times as comical.

"You know Cas, when Laurah gets her sorry little rear back to us, we should play a little truth or dare, the four of us."

"The four of us?" he questions, his face still working on returning to its normal shade.

"Uh huh. You, Laurah, me, and MopMan. The four of us."

"I admit to fully and completely fearing your plans."

"Oh don't worry, everything stays PG-13 in Narnia," I reassure him, saving my evil cackles of glee for another time. No need to arouse his suspicions just yet.

"Ah, here we are. Oh, thanks mate," I say, smiling as innocently as I'm capable of when Cas gets the door to the dining room for me.

"At last! We were afraid you'd never get here, Nikki."

"Jaystorm, I warn you here and now that if you say anything in an attempt to embarrass me, I will personally throw you off these Narnian cliffs," I threaten, even as I smile my thanks to MopMan for getting my chair.

"Me?" the centaur blinks innocently, and I throw him a sarcastic look in response.

"Yeah you. Who else could I be talking to?"

Just as he opens his mouth, a devilish gleam in his eyes, I hold up my hand to stop him.

"Never mind, forget I even asked."

"Ah, but-"

"Not another word. Don't you have to go to dinner with your dad, anyhow?"

"Not for a little while yet. I suspect you are grateful for his preference to eat elsewhere?"

"Right now, I certainly am."

"Alright children, that's enough."

I turn to look at MopMan incredulously, even as I put a few slices of the cooked roast onto my plate.

"Who are you calling children, mister? I'm barely a year younger than you!" I splutter indignantly. Maybe I should take a great big spoon of those potatoes and fling them at his face. Who'd be laughing then, I ask you?

The idea's simply too entertaining to ignore, and I reach for the large spoon for the potatoes as nonchalantly as I can. It's not easy, considering the impish grin fighting for prevalence on my face.

"Ah, but you do not always act your age, do you Miss Nikki?"

"You don't either!" I spit right back, spooning a few potato pieces onto my plate.

"At least my language is fully intelligible!"

I seize my chance and throw a spoonful of those potatoes straight at the curly-headed mop of trouble sitting next to me.

He splutters and tries to speak of his surprise, but a piece of potato is wedged in his mouth.

"Now, who's speech is unintelligible?" I ask sweetly, a smile twitching at my lips as everyone else in the room either laughs or stares with amused horror at my manners.

"Nikki, I believe that was perhaps a little uncalled for," Jaystorm says, clearly trying to sound serious and reprimanding.

I gather a bit of gravy in my spoon and throw it at him in response.

"And I'm sure that was too."

"Indeed it was. It must also be said that it was perhaps slightly amusing as well. However, Nikki, this does not mean that-"

"Cas, I love you as a brother, but that just means that I have no qualms about throwing some of my dinner at you too," I reply, my tone somehow marrying merriment and warning.

"Nikki, His Majesty is injured-"

"Which is why I'd throw it at his face, not his shoulder," is my answer to Lilliandil's voiced concern.

All of a sudden, a piece of potato jams itself onto my nose. Vengeance.

"Alright Cas, that's it! Injured or not, king or not, you're getting creamed!" I shriek, fully enjoying the beginnings of this food fight.

"I've always longed for a food fight!" MopMan yells, a statement that I wholeheartedly echo as I hurl a handful of salad-dressing-covered greens at his Royal Majesty King Caspian the Tenth.

"Please, perhaps-"

"Lilli, I'd suggest sitting it out or joining in. Reprimanding won't get you anywhere this time," I tease, silently daring her to join in. I mean, that'd be quite a sight to see!

"Well, if you insist..."

We all stop and stare in amused shock as the star stands up, spoons up some gravy, and promptly flings it at me.

"I always did love gravy on my potatoes!" I cry, thoroughly amused and delighted by this turn of events.

"Perhaps you need more potatoes, my lady!" MopMan replies merrily, hitting my face with several more pieces of potato.

"And a few greens, of course!" This time, it's Jaystorm who throws something at me: greens, as per his comment.

"WAR!" I screech, and within minutes we have a full-fledged food fight in the dining hall of Cair Paravel. It's, of course, unbelievably fun, and even more so because of how horrified anyone who walks in on this is sure to be.

We somehow manage to stop upon realizing that only half the food is still standing, so to speak.

"And now, shall we eat dinner?" Lilliandil calls us back into order rather quickly.

"Actually, I think dinner ate us!" My laugh bounces from my lips and spreads quicker than a cold to everyone else.

"Do not laugh too hard, Majesty!" Jaystorm manages through his chortles and snorts.

Caspian manages to keep from opening his wound, and we all have a right-good merry time.

MopMan half-heartedly suggests that we all clean up before eating dinner, but we're all too hungry to take his advice. So there we sit, eating the remainder of the food we're not wearing, and laughing on and off the entire meal.

"Well, that was...fun!"

"Wasn't it though? Being a kid can be so much fun!" I laugh, nudging MopMan fondly as I do.

"Indeed it can. In spite of our ruined clothes, thank you for starting that, Nikki."

"No probs, Cas. Anytime. No seriously, ANY time. That was so fun I'd love to do it again!"

"Perhaps with a little warning next time, so we may be better dressed?" Lilli suggests.

"Sure thing, Lilli!" I chime, my grin spreading from ear-to-ear.

* * *

The next day, I find myself somewhat bored. Other than training with Jaystorm, the only other thing to do is read. I'd cook up a nice steaming pot of mischief, but I'm fresh out of ideas. Typical, I have no inspiration for shenanigans when I actually need it. Why am I not surprised?

"Concentrate, little miss Nikki!" Jaystorm reprimands me with a smirk, and his mouth starts to open again. He's set on teasing me about MopMan, no doubt.

"Before you ask, no, I'm not daydreaming about Sadrian. MopMan, that is."

"May I ask where such a nickname came from?"

"The colorful vestiges of my imaginative creativity," I retort, swinging the too-heavy sword in my hand at the grinning centaur, who deflects the graceless maneuver with ease.

"How did it come about, then?" he asks as he blocks another useless swing from me.

"Well, when I went for a little swim into Narnia, he got me onto the ship. And the first thing I noticed was that his hair was super-curly and it looked rather like a mop on his little punkin' head."

"Quite an interesting way of putting that, Nikki."

"I'll take that as an ill-meant compliment."

"Best not. An ill-meant compliment on my part would be one regarding your swordfighting skills."

"I beg your pardon, but I'm only just starting out! I'm allowed to do horribly!"

"And yet I retain my rights to teasing you about it," he fires back, so clearly enjoying sparring with words as well as swords.

"How lucky for me," I drawl. "Did you torture Laurah so mercilessly?"

"Oh much worse, I assure you," the ever-smug centaur laughs.

"It's a wonder she didn't kill you herself."

"Perhaps you should attempt it."

"You know, Jaystorm, I just might."

* * *

**Laurah POV:**

After several weeks, Rhoslyn's finally out of the infirmary. I think everybody's a bit relieved, myself most of all. Well, everyone except Hallan. He just straight-up doesn't care. The only pleasantness I've seen from him yet is a smile he gave me when I brought him a chunk of soft wood and a small knife. He's been whittling away at that thing every extra moment he's had since then.

Rhos joins me for my training sessions with Ann, as much to spend time with us as to rehabilitate her body in my opinion. She seems quite relieved that my skill with swords has been brought up to its former excellence, and she even says she's pleased with my progress in my archery. Apparently, I can hit the target consistently now, and sometimes I'm lucky enough to get an arrow in the inner two circles. But she's curious as to my opinion on Hallan, and Ainslie always gets strangely quiet whenever we mention him.

"Let me get this right. He asked you what you do with your time and actually _smiled_ when you gave him that block of wood?"

"Unbelievably, yes. It seems he does have a slight sense of manners, somewhere underneath his very rough exterior." I hurl one of the throwing knives in my hand toward the bull's eye, and both Ann and Rhos make a hum of approval when it hits the inner edge of the third-most inner circle.

"You improve daily, sister. As I promised you would," my sister praises, and I humph my answer.

"I'll admit you were right, but I still loathed each and every minute," I grumble. I'm usually cranky while practicing the bow or throwing knives, because doing so badly at something so consistently frustrates me endlessly.

Ann just shakes her head at me and nods for me to try again. I grit my teeth when this knife goes to the very edge of that blasted circle.

"Ann, why do you get so quiet when anyone brings up Hallan?"

She refuses to look at me, and I obediently throw another knife. Blast it.

"Do you not trust him? Believe me, none of us do," Rhos tries, but Ann just clamps her mouth shut and tosses me my makeshift pair of sais.

"At last!" I cry, happily putting the knives away after I catch the sais. "Seriously though Ann, it's almost like there's something you're not telling me."

Again, she refuses to meet my eyes, even when we spar. Rhos remains silent, probably trying to think of a reason. She's always been good at inferring things, Rhos has. Ann and I only spar a few rounds, each of which ends in a victory for me.

"You ought to return to the healing house, sister. I'm sure Lassen needs help as always."

"May we speak tonight?" I ask her, slightly curious and a little more worried about her silence.

"Mother will tell you anything you need to know."

I nod, because I know that's the best I'll get.

"I'll go with you, Laurah," Rhos offers.

"Thank you. I'd welcome the company," I reply.

Ann takes my weapons for me, even though I try to insist that I can take care of them and she doesn't have to. Still, she's determined, and so I let her.

"I'll help Lassen as much as I am able, so you can work on Hallan a little more," Rhos says as we walk up to the infirmary door.

"Thanks."

We enter together, and I'm a little relieved when Hallan's piercing stare doesn't automatically fly to me. He's whittling his wood again, though I can't yet tell what it's going to be.

"What're you planning on making that into?" I ask as I approach, tentatively as I generally do.

"The wood can decide for itself."

"Fair enough."

Rhos hurries up to me and hands me supplies for the usual: cleaning and rewrapping Hallan's wounds. Most of them are healed, but there's still one nasty one on his torso that's keeping him laid up.

'Be careful,' her eyes tell me, and I nod slightly. I always am.

"What were you referring to when you said you knew the effects of magic, princess?" He's still got that sneering tone to his voice. No matter.

"You've got three guesses." I'm not about to tell him about the mist freely. And he'll never guess, so I'm safe.

"A pale green mist?"

Well shit. How in the name of the almighty did he know?

"I see from your face I guessed correctly."

"Sit up please," I order, rather than request.

He puts his whittling wood aside and obeys, but the down side is that his gaze is back on me. Fully on me.

"How did you know?" The question slips out before I can stop it, and I curse my voice for betraying my unshed tears. I always seem to get weepy when I remember Dark Island.

"I have experienced the same, princess."

Am I going mad, or does his voice sound unusually gentle?

"Have you now?" Ah, much better. Less vulnerable sounding.

"I have. I suspect it showed you many terrible things, yes?"

"Yes. Every thing that could make me scream, and perhaps more. I don't remember all of it, just most of it."

"But you remember enough?"

"Yeah. Though I guess it's better than the alternative: not remembering anything."

"Oh?"

Why is he being so...so..._compassionate_ right now?!

"Apparently I forgot a good year and a half of memories when I was in Dark Island with the mist. Wouldn't you be rather apt to remember everything you could, were you in my shoes?"

"I am in your shoes, princess. I remember nothing before the mist possessed my mind."

"I'm sorry." I'm surprised by how much I actually mean that.

"Worry not, the great lady rescued me."

"Oh, her again." Somehow, I manage to keep my voice neutral.

"You do not wish to hear of her?"

I'd have expected his voice to sound low and dangerous, but it isn't.

"Not if you're going all goo-goo eyed again. I wouldn't mind so much if you could talk about her like a normal, sane person, rather than like a lovesick puppy." As soon as the words leave my mouth, I want to take them back. Since when did I decide to be so openly honest with this man? He's my enemy!

"Forgive me. I find it difficult to speak of her calmly."

"...Are you actually apologizing?"

"I am. Is that so unbelievable?"

"Coming from you? Hell yes."

Lassen must have put this guy on schitzophrenia-inducing herbal drugs. I'll have to ask him the next time I see him.

"I feel sympathy for you, princess. We have suffered similar things. I cannot be too harsh with you."

That's the first time he hasn't used 'princess' to mock me.

Then it all makes sense. He's not changing his heart. He's adapting. He's learning how to relate to people, and he wants me to trust him. When he's well enough to swing a sword, he'll no doubt attempt to slaughter every sprite in a hundred-mile radius from here. Now his seemingly flabbergasting acquirement of manners makes a lot more sense.

Too bad I've caught on.

* * *

**Nikki POV:**

More weeks pass, and Caspian's strength returns to him as they go. He even starts practicing with his sword and crossbow again, and he's darn lucky that arrow hit his left shoulder and not his right, since he's a rightie.

One bright and sunny morning, I skip on down to breakfast, where Caspian and the Professor and Lilliandil and I proceed to discuss the upcoming anniversary of Caspian's fifth year as the main monarch. At least, that's how I put it.

"How about a ball? It'd be good to get this place filled up with peeps, don't ya think?" Cue three perplexed stares. "In other words, it'd be nice to have some guests for the sake of lively human company?"

"I suppose that could be arranged, Nikki. We still have some time yet," Cas allows, and I have to excuse myself from the table to dance around happily.

"Oh goodie goodie gumdrops! I've always loved the idea of a ball! And I've got the training for it too!"

Having finished my happy dance, I take my seat at the table again under three fond and amused looks.

The three of them begin tossing ideas back and forth, but I'm too hungry to contribute much. At last, breakfast arrives, and I dive for the food.

"Your manners, Nikki?" Lilliandil laughs, and I pull myself from my sprawled position on the table obediently.

"Left them back home," I joke back.

Still, I manage to remember to at least pass the food around. Which is saying a lot, considering my rumbling tummy. I eagerly shove a forkful of scrambled eggs in my mouth, but stop just short of closing my lips around my fork. Something doesn't smell right.

I lower the fork of eggs and bring my face to the plate until my nose is almost in my breakfast. Yep, something definitely smells wonky. It's not the eggs; I'm not sure what it is, but something's off.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Caspian raise a forkful of something to his mouth, and in that split second I have a feeling he shouldn't eat it.

"CASPIAN DROP THAT FORK!"

Everyone's heads snap to look at me in utter confusion, but my yell was so loud and panicked that Caspian's done exactly as I said.

"Nikki, what on earth?" Lilli and the Professor ask the same question at the same time, and I almost say 'jinx,' but I'm a bit distracted.

"I'm sorry Cas, but don't eat just yet. Something smells funny."

I stand and hurry over to Caspian's plate. He looks bewildered and confused, but he lets me grab it and sniff.

"Yep, something's off. Could we have one of the cooks look at it, just to be safe?"

I don't even wait for anyone to respond; I just hightail it out the side door to the kitchen.

"Hello peoples, um, we have a teensy tiny itsy bitsy wee little problem here, can one of you food professionals come and have a look-see?"

Luckily for my patience, a good handful of the cooks and helpers follow me back into the dining room, where a very confused trio wait.

"I hope no one ate anything," I growl half-threateningly.

"We ate nothing. What's gotten into you, Nikki my dear?" Professor Cornelius asks, looking a mite concerned for my mental health.

The people who came with me quickly inspect the food, and I'm just about to spout my suspicions when one of the cooks confirms it.

"There is poison in this, Majesty. We do not know how it got here, but you mustn't eat it. We'll take care of it straightaway." With that, the group of them takes all the food out.

I sigh my relief and turn to a stupefied and rather speechless star, king, and professor.

"I told you so. Lucky thing my sense of smell is pretty good, else we'd all be foaming at the mouth."

Keep a lid on it, Nikki. No need to go ape-shit crazy.

Oh fantastic, now I'm talking to myself. In my own head. Go figure.

"Well, now we have a firm grasp on the obvious fact that someone's clearly got it out for you, Cas."

* * *

**Laurah POV:**

That night, after a long and very confusing day with Hallan and under Lassen's instruction, I purposely seek out my mother. Maybe she'll tell me why Ann's acting so strange. Luckily, I run into her when we still have a good hour or so until dinner, so we'll have time to really talk.

"Hello, Mother. Can I steal a few minutes?"

"Of course, daughter. Shall we to the garden? I know how you love it there."

"That'd be really wonderful. I haven't spent as much time in there as I'd have liked. Busy, you know?"

"I understand you perfectly," she answers wryly, and I remember that duh, she's the queen. Of course she knows.

"I must tell you that I and Ann and every member of the council is proud of you for accepting the difficult task of getting information from the rebel commander Hallan," Mother says as we walk through the fragrant hallways.

"Any one of you would've done the same in my shoes. Besides, he's not so bad sometimes."

"'Not so bad?'" Mother echoes, her face looking rather incredulous.

"No, really. He has times where he's almost kind, like a friend. However, that benefit of the doubt being given...he's still an ass."

Mother's bell-like laugh rings out at the same conclusion I told Ann, though there's almost a sad tinge to it.

"I thought much the same about your father when I first met him, you know."

"You've never spoken of him before," I murmur hesitantly. I don't want to bring up bad memories.

"He died a very long time ago. I presume Ainslie told you of it?"

"Yes, she told me enough."

Mother walks along in silence for a moment, before asking me a singularly unexpected question.

"Would you indulge me for a bit, while I reminisce?"

"Y-yes, of course," I answer, my surprise making me stutter. "I'd...I'd like to hear what he was like," I admit.

"And I would like for you to know as well." A gentle smile from Mother wipes away my worries about being a bother or reminding her of her pain."

I wait patiently for her to begin, and after a moment, she does.

"I was quite young when I first met your father; I don't suppose I was any older then fourteen at the time. He was already of age himself."

"So he was eighteen or twenty?"

"Thereabouts, yes. He was quite the stupid, arrogant, cocky young sprite, and he managed to combine every feature I sorely hated into one altogether disagreeable man. He was ever so surely convinced in his own mind of his status as the world's greatest gift to all women. It was perfectly normal for me to hate him as I did, but in spite of my best attempts, I found I had developed a certain...liking for him."

"As in, you got a crush on him?"

"Yes, that is one way of putting it. His looks almost made up for his sorely lacking manners and ever greater lacking kindness. I told myself it would fade away with time, and I sorely hoped it would. I even went to my mother, your grandmother, for advice on getting over him even quicker."

Mother pauses to smile, her eyes taking on a far-away kind of look.

"It wasn't long after that your father asked for permission to court me. I made him wait for days, and I came up with at least six dozen reasons I should say no."

"How old were you then?"

"Barely over sixteen. I went back to him and assured him that I'd most likely kill him within the week if I said yes, but he only laughed. Not in a mean, mocking sort of way, mind you. In a rather fond way, it seemed. He assured me that the short week would be quite worth my deadly wrath at the end of it, and so I had little choice in my own heart but to say yes. It seems that somewhere in the verbal spars and mean-spirited pranks and endless fighting, we managed to fall quite in love, though I still cannot understand it to this day."

When I'm sure she's finished, my face busts into a teary smile.

"That's...that's about a hundred different levels of adorable, Mother. I wish I'd known him."

"As do I. I suspect you would not have the same cares at your age."

"Do I care too much?"

"No. But I do think you had little chance at a real childhood, a carefree childhood."

I have to force my voice past the lump in my throat.

"Well, Nikki gave me a fair amount of one at least."

"Ah yes, Nikki. I should like to meet this friend of yours very much, if the opportunity ever arises."

"I'd thought to perhaps go and visit her, but I'm positive she's at Cair Paravel."

"I see your meaning, and I am sorry for it."

I notice we've wandered into the middle of the garden, and my slightly darkened mood lifts. It seems almost more beautiful than before.

"Oh, and Mother?"

"Yes?"

"Ann's been acting a bit...strange, whenever Rhos and I bring up Hallan. I asked her about it, but she simply said you'd tell me everything I need to know."

Mother sighs, and goes to sit by the small waterfall, patting the rock next to her. I join her, but I can't help but feel nervous as to what she might say.

"What do you think of him, daughter? Have you picked up any information from him?"

"Only about this lady he worships. She might be behind all this, but I'm just not sure yet. Oh, but we do have one small thing in common."

"What is that?"

"We've both had the mist in our heads. Still...he's an ass. As I've told Ann."

Oddly enough, a smile quirks my mouth when I declare that.

"The mist is more consequential than the lady, I should think."

"You're right. He did say it was she who drove the mist from his mind, but I'm not entirely sure. His eyes, they're grey but with a tiny swirl of pale green. Whoever that lady is, she missed a bit of the mist."

"And you are certain this mist is still in his head?"

"Fairly. What else could that bit of green be?"

"Good work, daughter. You've done quite well already."

"I've a ways to go yet, but I think I'm on the right track." Hope's found its way into my voice.

"The council will be most pleased to hear of the specifics of your progress, but I fear they knew of it before now. They have much faith in you, daughter, perhaps too much."

"Mother, what are you getting at?"

"The council is of the opinion that friendship will not be enough to change that man. Especially if it is true what you say about the mist, a bond much stronger must be encouraged."

I really don't like where this is going.

"Is that why you told me about how you and Father met?" I ask quietly, not in anger but simply in sad acceptance.

"Perhaps it is."

"What exactly do they want me to do, Mother?"

She hesitates a good long while, seemingly loathe to tell me. But I wait, and sure enough, she answers eventually.

"Marry him. As quickly as possible."

* * *

**The title might make a little bit of sense now...though the full meaning of it only hits in the last chapter or two! ;)**

**I'd love it if you let me know what you thought! :D**


	7. Chapter 6

**I have to say, last chapter I got the best review I've ever gotten. Never have I gotten one that combines constructive criticism with encouragement so well! Thank you in particular to that reviewer, especially for the wonderful suggestions! It really helped with character development, though I'm still trying to get it on paper just right XD I did edit chapter 3 a bit to reflect this new aspect of Laurah, so thank you thank you and thank you!**

**Thank you to Evy201, NymphadoraLupin98, Guest, and joycelyn. for your wonderful reviews! You all make me sooo happy when I read your comments! Thank you too to everyone who reads, favorites, and/or follows this story! It really does mean the world to me, people. Virtual candy all around! XD**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Nikki POV:**

"Well Cas, it does look like someone wants you deader than a doornail."

"Thank you, for putting it so gently, " Caspian mutters, though I can tell he's kidding.

"No probs. But seriously, why? It don't make no sense!"

"You mean to say it doesn't make any sense?"

"Yeah sure. Why would anyone want you dead? You're a gem, you are!" I cross my arms in my frustration, and huff indignantly that anyone would want to kill my adopted big brother.

"Thank you, but perhaps not everyone would share your opinion," he replies wryly. A bit too seriously too, I might add.

"Last time I check, the Narnians love you! And the Telmarines aren't complaining either! And you're on good terms with the sprites and whatnot. That leaves this mystery enemy, and why should they care two straws about you? They're fighting the sprites, not you!"

"Nikki, you forget that I am, in point of fact, the king."

"So it's a jealousy complex? They want your royal seat?"

"It could be possible..." he trails off, and I instantly narrow my eyes.

"Caspian the all-fired Tenth, you're not telling me something. Out with it. And don't weasel out of it by saying it's king business. I can tell it's not."

Cas sighs in defeat and asks, "When did you develop this skill for seeing right through people?"

"You know, Laurah complained about it too sometimes. But in the end, she was thanking me. Now out with it, lest I stuff burned spinach stems down your throat." Heaven knows I will, too.

"I understand your point."

"And you still haven't answered me. No more stalling," I order, drawing myself up to my imperious height of five-foot-four-inches.

"Very well. The queen of the sprites did not seem to be on good terms with me last I visited."

"And when was that?"

He hesitates a bit too long for my liking.

"Caspian..."

"Perhaps three, four years now."

"And you haven't seen or heard from any sprite since then?"

"Laurah's sister, Ainslie, came to me occasionally. Never the queen."

"Hmph. Odd."

"Indeed."

We both sit and stew over that weirdness for a while. If Caspian was Laurah's freakity-freakin' fiancee, shouldn't all problemos with Laurah's mother have been solved? But what problem could she have with him, anyway?

"And nothing happened to provoke the queen?"

"Nothing."

Super. Does she just have a stick up her arse about Cas, or was she just cranky that morning? Maybe she thought Laurah was too young...no, she would've said as much to her, surely. Maybe she just had a beef with Caspian...but again, wouldn't she have told Laurah? Well, maybe not, if she didn't want to ruin the upcoming wedded bliss. And surely she would've been short with him besides that one time.

"How did she - the queen - act normally? To you?"

"Cordial, but we met briefly. She was generally kept busy when Laurah brought me to spend time with her family."

"Huh."

So that doesn't help at all. Wait...maybe it does. If she kept herself busy on purpose...but I can't know that for sure. Dang, sprites are complicated.

"Well so then we're really back to square one, aren't we?"

* * *

After I muddle and puzzle over the question of who wants him dead, I let Caspian go to sign some papers and take care of the paperwork that eagerly awaits his royal attention today. The poor guy is almost overworked with the mountains upon mountains of paper he deals with day in and day out. I go in search of a certain star; if there's anyone who can help sort this big question mark out, it's Lilliandil.

It takes me a while to find her, but eventually I happen across her in the hallway on my way to the library.

"Hey, Lilli! Fantastic, I was just looking for you."

"And I was seeking you," she answers, looking relieved to have found me.

"Well then that just worked out beautifully. So did you have something you wanted to talk about?"

"I merely wished to inform you that Sadrian is looking for you even as we speak. He asked that I send you in the direction of the armory if I found you."

"Alrighty, I'll go there now. We can walk and talk. I'd like your opinion on a little idea of mine," I say, starting to walk back the way I came. The armory's on almost the other side of the castle.

"I would be happy to give it. What is this idea?" she asks genially, though seriously. She can tell it's kind of a serious matter.

"Well, remember breakfast and that whole fiasco?"

"How could I not?" answers the now-rattled star.

"Cas and I were going over possible culprits, and we're coming up a bit shorthanded. However, he did mention that the sprites' queen, aka Laurah's mummy dearest, wasn't particularly cordial last he talked to her. In fact, she was quite unfriendly. She seemed to be civil all other times, but he said she was always kept busy when he was around. Now I'm not jumping to conclusions, but something smells funny here. You know what I'm saying?"

"It sounds very much like she did not approve of him."

"It does, doesn't it? I mean, busy whenever he was there? It kind of looks like she _wanted_ to be busy when he was there."

"But?" Lilli's perceptive; she picked up on my slight hesitation.

"But I can't really be sure. I'm fairly convinced she wouldn't poison him or anything, but I'd still like to check it out. And I can check up on Laurah while I'm there as well. Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak."

"And so you wish to seek out the sprites? In a forest where a band of Narnians was slaughtered?" she asks incredulously. Clearly, she's far from on board with this.

"Well...call me mental, but yeah. Laurah was fine, wasn't she?"

"You do not know that. She could be dead as well," Lilli reminds me, trying to be as gentle as possible.

"...true." I swallow the lump in my throat forcefully, but it comes right back.

The star sighs and shakes her head at me.

"I can see you are still determined to go. 'Tis not a wise move, but go if you must."

"I just might. Now, should I give Cas a heads up, or just take off?"

"If you have any sisterly care in Narnia for him, you will give him advance warning," Lilli sternly advises, her face leaving no room for argument.

"Very well."

By now we've reached one of the doors that leads outside, and I bid Lilli a temporary goodbye.

As soon as I open that door, MopMan comes into view. He's trying to look relaxed, sitting on a bench outside the armory waiting for me, but I can tell that he's impatiently awaiting my arrival. Best not keep the man waiting.

"Hello, sweetness," I greet him as I saunter up. "Miss me?"

He springs up as soon as my voice rings out, and his well-hidden impatience transforms into happiness.

"I did. And I must also ask you if you have a mind to go somewhere tonight."

"With you? And please say yes," I reply, turning on a little bit of the flirt in me.

"Yes, with me," he grins right back.

"Awesome. Whatcha got planned?"

"I was thinking that perhaps you could meet my family tonight, if it so pleased you."

I gulp down my nervous squeak and nod enthusiastically.

"That'd be great! I promise I won't be TOO weird."

"You may be as 'weird' as you wish, my lady. They are sure to love you no matter what you do." He finishes that sweet little comment with a kiss on my hand.

"Aww, you can be so sweet when you want to be."

"When I want to be?"

"Mmhm. Most of the time you're a little rascal."

"I will take that as a compliment, however it was meant."

I answer his smile with one of my own and throw my arms around him.

"I'm a hugger," I explain.

He laughs briefly in surprise before extricating his arms from their trapped position and hugs me back.

"And you're a nice hugger, you are."

"Thank you, my lady."

* * *

That evening, Caspian sees me and MopMan to the door and gives me a little brotherly reassurance before letting me go.

"And try not to die while I'm gone," I joke as a goodbye.

"No promises." Cas laughs, and then I'm on my own with MopMan. Well, I guess I better start calling him Sadrian.

"Nervous, my lady?"

"Shut it." I shrug sheepishly at his raised eyebrows. "Maybe a little."

"Don't worry-"

"They'll love me?" I finish his reassuring sentence for him, smiling impishly.

"They will, I promise."

"Thanks." For once, I leave my natural sarcasm out of my response.

We walk down to the small city that's been built up around Cair Paravel, and I'm happy when he holds my hand. Though it's probably more functionality than affection, at least at the moment; the crowds are pretty thick as we squeeze through the marketplace. Finally, we get to his house. I'm a bit surprised he still lives with them, but maybe he's waiting to have a wife before he moves out. That'd make sense, since Narnia's a wee bit different from home.

I can hear a lively little commotion going on inside as soon as we walk up, and Sadrian gets the door for me with a reassuring smile. Gulping down another nervous lump, I walk inside, immediately reaching back for his hand.

"Mother, Father?" MopMan - Sadrian - calls.

A little blur of energy bolts up and skids to a stop just before it collides with us, and when my eyes adjust I see it's a boy, probably around ten or eleven years old.

"Sadrian, who's this?" he quips, quirking his head to the side in a rather adorable way.

"This is Nikki-"

"Oh that girl you're always talking about! Hi Nikki!"

"Hi there! Can I get your name?"

"Only if you can catch me!" he retorts, his eyes sparkling and crackling with mischief and a dare.

"Better run like the wind then, cuz it's on!" I shriek, and he's off before I can even process what just happened. Alright, a chase this will be!

I tear after the imp, trying to avoid knocking anything over. He dashes so fast he looks like a blur, and I'm beginning to realize I'm doomed if I ever hope to catch him before I kill myself.

"Can't catch me!" he taunts. Little git!

"That's what you think!" I holler right back, picking up speed with decided determination. I'll catch the little rascal if it's the last thing I do!

I suddenly hear a thud, and it takes me a moment to figure out that I'm laying sideways on the floor. Guess I rounded that corner a little too quickly. My hip smarting a little, I scramble to my feet and race after the elusive little kid. He lets out a triumphant laugh, as he slips away from me easily.

Alright, time for strategy.

I skid to a stop and dive behind the closest thing that'll hide me, which happens to be a table. Hopefully it's not set. After a short wait, MopMan's little brother rounds the same corner that kicked my butt, and I see my chance. With a war cry to put all others to shame, I spring up and slide across the table on my tummy, arms outstretched to entrap the little squirt. He shrieks, but it's too late. The force of my sliding tackle brings us both to the floor, and I lock my arms around the squirming brother.

"Alright, your name would be?" I wheeze, still holding the little guy captive.

"Calin. Good job, ya caught me!" he flashes me with a pearly grin, barely breathing hard at all.

"Let me guess, squirt, you're a runner?"

"I like running, yeah."

I make a hum of interest and release him from my grip.

I find my way back to MopMan - Sadrian, will I ever remember to use his real name? - and he's waiting for me with two adults I can only assume to be his parents. His mother has the same ferociously-curled sandy hair as him, and he has his father's smile.

"You must be Nikki," his mother says warmly, instantly stepping forward to hug me gently.

"Yep, that's me. You must be MopMan's - wait, I mean Sadrian's - mother."

"MopMan?" his father laughs, his voice booming in the foyer.

"Um, yeah...long story there, but the name stuck," I explain sheepishly.

"Perhaps you could tell us over dinner?" he asks politely.

"If my mouth isn't full, I'd be happy to oblige," I answer with an easy smile. Most of my nervousness vanished when I chased MopMan's little brother around the house.

Calin runs up, and I eye him playfully. I don't trust that one. He's worse than my big brother, I'd bet.

"I see you've met Calin," Sadrian laughs, ruffling his brother's straight brown hair fondly.

"Hey!" Calin protests, swatting his brother's hand away.

"You're a little pill, ain'tcha?" I giggle, clarifying my christening of the little guy from "pill" to "handful" after I receive confused glances from MopMan's parents.

"Her way of speaking becomes less confusing with time," MopMan chuckles, and his parents - bless them - smile and nod.

Dinner, surprisingly, is anything but awkward. MopMan's parents keep me talking, and they seem genuinely interested in what I have to say. When I tell them the story about how MopMan got his name, I swear the neighbors can hear his father's laugh. I'm unsure what to call his parents at first, but they insist I go on a first-name basis. So I learn that the dad's name is Darius and the mother's is Beya. Both nice names, if ya ask me.

I end up chasing Calin around the house a few more times, and Darius and Sadrian both laugh more than a healthy amount at our antics. Eventually, Calin wears me out and I sit down with Sadrian and his parents, and we all chat for hours.

Seemingly after minutes, we all notice how dark it is outside. Darius and Beya apologize for keeping me so long, but I assure them it's quite alright. I had fun, after all. Sadrian walks me out, and I realize I should probably give him a heads up regarding my plans to find the sprites and spend some time with them. As soon as we're outside, I resolve to do just that.

"May I walk you back?" Sadrian so chivalrously offers.

"Sure thing. I'd like to let you know about something, so that works out beautifully." I flash him a smile and take his offered arm with a contained giggle. I thought guys only did that in movies and dance classes.

"What is it you wish to tell me?"

"Well seeing as how Caspian's had two assassination attempts in the past month, it's reasonable to look for a culprit, right?"

"Yes..." he agrees hesitantly, clearly unsure of where I'm going with this.

"Cas recently told me about a little coldness between the sprite queen and himself. Now I'm sure she didn't order someone to kill him or anything, but I'd still like to check it out. If nothing else, I just want to know what her deal is, especially since she's Laurah's mom, ya know? And that's another thing: I'll probably find Laurah there and I can report back to Cas and set his poor frazzled mind at ease. So in short what I'm saying is I'm leaving to go looking for the sprites soon and please don't freak out if I'm not there one day."

"Nikki, the Narnians-"

"I know. I'm still set on going. I'll be fine, I promise."

He sighs in defeat, and I know I've won.

"Very well. Please do be careful, my lady. I'll miss you."

"Aww, I'll miss you too. And I'll be as careful as always, don't you worry."

By now we're almost to Cair Paravel , and I have a sneaking suspicion Sadrian's going to want a goodnight kiss. That's okay, because I'd like one too.

We walk easily past the centaur guards, since they recognize both of us. Sadrian starts to hesitantly raise his hand to open the door, and I stop him gently.

"I think we both want a goodnight kiss," I whisper, already tipping my face upwards.

His boyish smile slides across his face, and his lips brush chastely over mine as he wraps one arm around my waist.

"Good night," he murmurs, breath tickling my lips.

"Good night," I answer just as softly, kissing him gently once more before letting him open the door and sliding inside.

As the door closes with a quiet 'click', I lean my back against it and try to smother the giddy grin taking over my face. Sadrian's kisses tend to whisk me off onto cloud-nine.

"Pleasant evening?"

I manage to stop my daydreaming long enough to recognize Cas walking over to me, a brotherly smile on his face.

"Mmhm, quite pleasant. Tiring, since I chased Calin, his brother, around the house several times, but very pleasant indeed." A hum of happiness echoes in my throat, and I roll my eyes at myself. "Sorry I'm going all love-struck schoolgirl right now. I get goo-goo-eyed sometimes."

"It's quite alright, Nikki."

Caspian had that reserved look on his face, which usually translates to 'I've got an important question to ask you but I'm waiting for the right time.'

"Okay Cas, I can tell you've got something you'd like to ask me. Go ahead, I'm sane now. Mostly. Maybe." Best find out what's eating him sooner than later.

"You really are exceptionally talented at reading people. But to get to the point, Lilliandil told me of your plans to go to the sprites."

"Ah, okay. Are you going to try and talk me out of it?" I ask, walking out of the foyer and sitting room toward the hallway that leads to my room. I know Cas knows to follow.

"I would, if I thought it any use," he answers with a half-smile.

"Good, so you've figured out I'm going, period."

"Yes, and I thought you could use a bit of help finding the sprites. Am I right?"

"You are very right! I honestly haven't the faintest idea where to start," I admit, grateful he thought of that.

"I can tell you where they used to live, but Ainslie told me a few years ago that their village and palace shifted further east. That does mean they're closer to Cair Paravel, but I do not know their exact location."

"Still, it'd help a lot if I knew someplace to start. Oh, and I'm going alone just f-y-i."

"Alone? Nikki-"

"C'mon, who else is Laurah going to see besides me?"

"If she is even there with them. She could be dead, Nikki."

"Then I'll be sure and find out. In the mean time, I'll be going alone because I'm just stubborn like that. Mmkay?"

"I see arguing with you is useless, as always," concedes a very wise Caspian.

"Yep. So when shall you help me narrow down where to look?"

"Would tomorrow morning suit you?"

"As long as it's not earlier than an nine o'clock. I'm not really much of an early riser."

"Few are," he laughs. "Good night then, adopted sister."

"Just call me sister, Cas. I might as well be anyhow," I chuckle.

"Good night then, _sister_. I'll be in the library at nine for you."

"I'll try not to be too late. G'night, big brother o'mine." I give him a one-armed hug goodnight and continue on to my room. I'm very much looking forward to a good night's sleep.

* * *

**Laurah POV:**

"Excuse me?" I think I imagined what Mother just said. Either that, or she's playing a hideous practical joke. "If that was supposed to be a joke, it wasn't funny."

"I fear it is no joke, daughter. The council advises it strongly."

"You're the queen, Mother! Can't you tell them no?" I plead, my face squenching up at the very thought of marrying anyone, let alone Hallan. I'd just as soon bean him with a brick as marry him!

"I could, but I confess I see the wisdom in their proposal. Laurah, daughter, a marriage between one of the royal family and one of the enemy's commanders could stop the constant bloodshed."

That silences me. I hate the idea, but Mother's right. And since I know him better than Ainslie does, it should be me. If I didn't loathe the man before, I certainly do now. It's not his fault, not really, but I still hate him all the more because I have to spend the rest of my life with him. Damn him. We'll make such a lovely couple, won't we?

"Very well." The words are out before I can stop them, and I can't be completely sorry I said them. Mother's right. As much as this annoys me, it's for the best. I can marry an ass if it saves the sprites' lives. My people's lives. Yes, if hundreds of them could sacrifice their lives, I can sacrifice this much. I'll put on a good face about it too. I can't gripe and mope.

"I am proud of you, Laurah." Mother wraps her arms around me in a comforting embrace, one I gratefully accept.

"Not to be an ass myself, but I'm kind of proud of me too."

We sit in silence for a few more moments before Mother stands.

"We mustn't be late for dinner, must we? You need to be filled out again for your wedding."

"Yes, I suppose I do." I'd almost like to sit in the garden for just a little while longer, but I know I'll start feeling sorry for myself if I do. So I obediently get up and follow my mother to the dining room, where Ann's waiting for us.

From her face, she's guessed that I know now, and she smiles sympathetically at me as I take my seat next to her.

"Everything will work out, sister."

"I dearly hope so, Ann. I think I'll have to change part of the vows from 'to love and to cherish' to 'to love and to loathe'."

"An amusing idea, and certainly an original one," Mother laughs, and I can't help but smile when Ann joins her in chuckling.

"What can I say? I'm a fountain of inspiration," I answer sarcastically, but in good fun.

Dinner comes and goes, and all I can think about is how my left hand will look with a ring on it that is Hallan's and not Caspian's.

* * *

"You're getting married?" Rhos repeats, her voice both flabbergasted and a touch horrified. "To _Hallan_?"

"Match made in heaven, isn't it? But it's okay, really. It might stop the bloodshed, so it's worth it."

"I understand, but still..." she trails off, unsure what to say.

"At least I can get creative when repeating the vows. I suggested 'to love and to loathe' last night, and Mother and Ann seemed to find it amusing. Do you think I might be able to throw that in there?" It feels better to joke about it than take it seriously.

"You certainly are taking this rather well, Laurah. But yes, hopefully you could. It'd be quite funny, at least I think so. Shall I get you a sledgehammer for a wedding present?" Rhos takes to my light-hearted approach rather easily, and I silently thank my lucky stars for her forbearance.

"A sledgehammer or a brick; either will do nicely," I laugh, though it sounds strained even to my ears. I can't tell if that's because of the idea of my upcoming nuptials, or because of how closely Rhoslyn's remark came to something Nikki might say.

"And you know you can always come to me and we can have a woman-to-woman midnight talk if he becomes too unbearable."

"Thank you Rhos, I'll most likely take you up on that offer."

"Most likely?" she teases gently.

"Alright, definitely. And let's hope I don't get pregnant. I don't know how I'd be able to have his child."

"Completely understandable," Rhos soothes, stroking my back to comfort my dark-tinged thoughts.

"Anyway, now that I've shared that bit of news, how does a midnight frolic in the meadow sound?"

"I've missed our times in the meadow! Let's!" she cries happily, jumping up eagerly.

"Shh! Do you want to wake the whole palace?" I hiss, though a grin breaks my attempt at seriousness.

Rhos claps a hand over her mouth to quiet her laugh, but her eyes tinkle with all the merriment she can't vocalize.

"Race ya!" I whisper gleefully, jumping to my feet and careening through the halls as quietly as I can manage without sacrificing speed.

"Not fair!" She whisper-calls, racing to catch up to me.

"Totally is!"

I have to clap one hand over my mouth too, because it's too tempting to break out into giddy giggles.

We both fly through the palace and out through the front doors, and by the time we burst through the trees into the meadow, we're neck and neck. Rhos has always been just a little bit faster than me, but I did have a bit of head start this time.

"Tie. So truce?" I gasp out, kneading a stitch from my side.

"Truce." Rhos shakes my free hand and lets out a laugh she's surely been holding in since we first started running.

Mercifully, she lets me catch my breath before insisting that we begin our frolicking.

Neither of us can contain our joyful laughs when we skip through the tall grass, our fingers brushing the petals of the wildflowers that live here and there in the midst of the meadow. It's a good thing we're a bit of a clip from the village, else we'd surely wake everyone. We've never been the quiet sort, not when we're giddy. The lateness of the hour combined with the intoxicating feel and smell of being in our meadow gives us a sort of happy high, one that we only get here.

I take to twirling on the balls of my feet, and I don't hesitate to fling my arms out wide and tilt my head back toward the sky. My eyes see the same patch of inky night sky and stars as I spin and spin and spin, and it almost feels like if I spin fast enough, I can spin my way out of all my worries and troubles. If I spin fast enough, I won't have to marry Hallan. If I spin fast enough, my human mom won't be in any danger of falling apart. If I spin fast enough, the mist never existed to torment me, and I never spent a moment on the _Dawn Treader_. If I spin just a little faster, I can stay here in this rare moment of happy peace until I grow to be an old lady and I can spin no more.

"You know Rhos, maybe the mist actually did me a favor by taking so many of my Narnian memories away," I muse as I spin faster.

"What on earth do you mean?" Rhos asks, sounding a little worried and a lot mystified.

"I mean that maybe something sad happened with me and the king. Maybe we had a fight or something, or maybe I left Narnia in such a way that would have made things awful between us, had we both remembered. Maybe it's better I don't remember my first life with him, you know?"

"Oh Laurah, don't you say that," pleads my friend. She sounds saddened by my spoken thoughts. "Even if there were some bad memories mixed up in that little forgotten package, there were far too many good and wonderful ones to wish them all away."

I think on that a moment and decide she's right.

"Maybe I should put some effort into finding those memories," I wonder aloud, and I'm a bit surprised when Rhos responds in the positive.

"Yes, you should. It's worth it, I promise."

"Maybe it is. But where do you suppose I ought to start? They could be hidden anywhere."

"Alright, perhaps you can't start looking now. But do keep an eye out."

"Hallan talked about being possessed by the mist too. He said that green lady saved him. If she's the enemy's real leader, couldn't she also be the one who was controlling the mist?"

"I do think that might be worth a thought, yes. But why save him from the mist if she put it in his head to begin with?"

"That's true. I don't have an answer for that. The mist must be something separate." Then I remember his eyes. "Or perhaps not! That green lady missed a little bit of the mist, unless she meant to leave a little in his head. His eyes have the slightest swirl of pale green in them."

"Are you certain that green means the mist?"

"Absolutely. It was the exact same color, and it didn't stay still. It was moving around even as I looked at it steadily."

"Curious indeed. Perhaps your upcoming marriage is not so horrible after all. It could prove useful, as the council and your mother the Queen suggest."

"Yes, perhaps it won't be so awful after all."

But my dreams have said otherwise.

"Though, I doubt you've thought of..." Rhos trails off almost pensively, but it does its job of raising my curiosity.

"Thought of what?"

"Surely King Caspian could be of some help, if we went to him and asked."

"Rhos, there's no need. Mother hasn't asked for help for a reason, and I think it a good one." I feel a little bad for shooting down the idea, but I can't even think of it positively for more reasons than one.

"What might that reason be?"

I'm a bit surprised Rhos doesn't know, but I fill her in anyway.

"Best not let our losses be inflicted on the Narnians as well."

Rhos considers this for a minute or two before shaking her head vehemently.

"What?" I instantly ask, defensive for some strange reason I'm not sure of.

"That isn't selflessness, Laurah. That is only pride."

"Mother's not proud, at least not in that way," I argue.

I try not to think about the twinge in my heart that whispers Rhos could be right.

* * *

**And now that the Queen is being a little difficult and refusing to let me inside her head, my writing has hit a rather huge block XD So I apologize for that even though y'all aren't feeling the effects just yet :P **

**Please take a moment to let me know your thoughts! I love hearing from you fabulous people! :D**


	8. Chapter 7

**Hello, I know this is a little late and so I apologize for that :] I leave for college in 2 days, so I've been frantically packing and shopping and talking with my RA, OA, roommate...yeah, it's been busy XD **

**Thank you so much to Evy201 and joycelyn. for reviewing the past chapter, and RosesMoon for reviewing a previous one! I really really appreciate all the support! And also thank you, of course, to you favoriters, followers, and readers! :D**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Nikki POV:**

"So I'm no good with maps, but we can give this a go. Just use those abundant stores of patience, please," I manage through a yawn. Now that I've dragged myself to the library from my comfortable bed, I'm waking up a bit better. Still, I'm suffering for want of coffee. Or any caffeine, really.

"I shall go as slow as you like. Perhaps it might be better if you stand?"

"Why?"

"You will be able to see the map much better, and your wish to fall asleep in that chair will be less likely of being realized." The retort has just the right mixture of teasing and seriousness to earn a laugh from me.

"You've found your sense of humor, m'man! Congrats! Okay so Cair Paravel is where now?" I ask as I hesitantly get to my feet and peer at the map. Is it bad that it makes about as much sense to me as hieroglyphics?

"We are here," Cas answers as he points to a spot on the paper very close to the ocean. "And I last visited the sprites here." His pointer finger moves to a random spot in the forest only marked with a small circle.

"So if they've moved east, they're somewhere over here?" I hover a finger over where I think east is, but Caspian adopts his patient expression.

"Other direction, Nikki."

I move my finger over the marked woods closer to Cair Paravel. Cas mentioned that they're located closer to Cair Paravel now, so it's a decent guess.

"Here?"

"Yes. It's a few days' ride from here, and you would be well-advised to be extremely careful. Do not confront anyone, do you understand?" Caspian asks sternly, and I can tell from his uncompromising gaze that he means it big-time.

"Yes daddy. Any other safety tips?"

"Do not light a fire at night if you can help it. It will give away your position to anyone within at least ten miles."

"Ten miles? Won't the trees dim the firelight out by then?"

"The smoke will rise above the tree tops."

"I really hope I won't have any raw meat with me, because it'll be useless," I mutter, letting my good ol' buddy sarcasm creep into the comment.

"You will have mostly dried foods; you will not have to worry with cooking anything. Everything you will need is in the kitchen and the stables."

"Wow...you're good. Thank you muy much." Did he take care of all this before I got up?

Cas nods his 'you're welcome' and keeps his stern face on when he says, "I must insist that if you find nothing within a week, you come back to Cair Paravel."

"A week? But that's hardly any time-"

"It is far more than my good judgment wishes me to give you."

This time, he's the one who's useless to argue with. Bother it all. Still, a week is reasonable, even though it's not a whole lot of time.

"Alright, o worried big brother of mine. A week it is," I concede with a smile. I can't be annoyed with him for worrying about me.

"Send me word if you find them. The dryads should be happy to deliver your message to me."

"Just don't send out search parties for me if I can't get word to you, okay? I don't want anyone dying over me." I borrow Caspian's unrelenting and unyielding face for a moment while I say that.

"I will go and search for you myself, and I'm sure Sadrian will insist on accompanying me."

"You're freaking crazy! You're the king, you can't go riding off into the forest after me!" I exclaim, horrified and with my jaw hanging open.

"I can and I will. You will not fail to send me word, will you?"

"Definitely not, if you're going to do something that stupid if I don't!" That's kind of low, but I guess I can sort of understand why he's saying it.

"Then the threat has served its purpose." Cas sounds satisfied with me, and I can also get the feeling that we're pretty much done here.

"You're a worried little rat. But I love ya for it, you protective brother you. And now, I think it's about time I be off, don't you think?"

"I had a feeling you would wish to leave today." As he says that, Caspian carefully folds up the map and gives it to me. "Use it, lest you lose your way. And take this as well."

I take the compass he hands me and thank my lucky stars that my environmental science teacher threw in a little bit of orienteering as a class activity.

"Thank you kindly. I do actually know how to use these things."

"Good luck, Nikki. Do be careful."

"I will. And same goes for you, okay? No dying or almost-dying allowed."

Caspian nods his amused consent, and I give him a brief hug.

"I'll see you soon, 'kay?"

"Remember, send me word," he reminds me firmly.

"I will."

With that, I turn and go. I'm dressed well enough for a multi-day ride through the forest, so I'll just go by the kitchen like Caspian said, and then I'll be off to the stables.

I find that a whole bundle of food has been prepared for me, which I take from one of the cooks with a grateful smile. In the stables, a horse is tacked up and ready to go for me, already loaded up with small bundles and a blanket for me to sleep on. I'm happy to be traveling light, especially since it means less stuff to deal with.

I thank the stable boy who helps me up onto the brown horse and then I'm off, hoping that maybe I'll find Laurah and live to tell the tale.

* * *

**Laurah POV:**

After Rhos and I calm down from our meadow high, we sink down onto the ground and lay on our backs to look up at the stars.

"It seems so peaceful up there, doesn't it?" I murmur, silently envying the stars. How simple their lives must be!

"Simple can be boring though, sometimes." Rhoslyn's head rests against the side of mine comfortably, and for a moment things feel perfect.

Suddenly, we both bolt upright and scoot so our backs are against each other. It's a good defensive position to be in. We've got each other's backs, literally.

"What was that, Rhos?" I breathe, afraid even to whisper too loudly.

"We have no weapons with us, do we?" she whispers back, just as quiet as me.

"No, but we can fetch some if we're quick."

"We have to run with all speed and stealth, then. Don't stand up; maybe no one will notice the grass moving. We've a better chance of surprise if we stay crouched under the tops of the tall grass. Ready?"

"Go."

As soon as the almost silent whisper leaves my lips, we get to our feet and run, crouched, through the grass and wildflowers back toward the village. More specifically, to the armory. For a frightening moment, it sounds like someone's picked up our trail. But a quick glance over my shoulder proves it to be nothing more than a rabbit.

For once, I'm glad for Rhoslyn's speed. Even with our hunched positions, she makes it to the armory in no time at all, and by the time I catch up she's already emerging with a pair of sais for us both and a few throwing knives for her. She hurriedly hands me two of the sais and after a single nod, we take off again. I remember that she's still healing from her injuries and I tap her shoulder to remind her, but she waves my concern off before I can even voice it. I can't dissent, not when I'm just as determined to fight as she is. I don't want this to be a war my people fight alone. I want to help. I _can_ help.

We race back through the meadow toward the sounds of a skirmish in the forest not far away at all, and Rhos is kind enough to run slow enough for me to keep up. We're in this together.

The trees seem to press in on us as we hurry along, but I only run faster. We're almost there, I can tell.

All of a sudden, we're in the middle of it. And it's not going well. A group of sprites that number maybe a dozen stand in a defensive circle, and enemy soldiers pick off them with the sharp precision of snakes striking their prey. Two fall in the first second, and I flinch as their screams echo in the forest. Another, a boy who can't be older than sixteen, lets out a yell and tries to run for it. He's dead before I can even call out a warning.

"Is this what it was like?" I whisper to Rhos as we fend off one of the enemy who comes at us.

"Yes." She sinks a knife into the soldier's side, and I grit my teeth as I run one of my blades through his heart. Killing is never easy.

"Don't scream or yell! You die for your fear!" Rhos suddenly calls out, her voice taking on a powerful, commanding tone that I've never heard from her.

"Good to know," I murmur, and with that we both jump into the fight head on.

An enemy solder whips toward a sprite nursing her limply-hanging and bleeding arm, and I fly between them before I even think about it. The enemy's soldier rips through the side of my dress, and I ignore the blood that trickles out of the flesh wound. I can deal with the cut later. It's relatively minor. I swing my sais with deadly precision at the attacker, but he blocks each and every one of them. It's almost like he's been trained what to expect. Racking my brains for a move the sprites haven't taught me, I falter for a moment and my lapse in attention is rewarded with a stinging gash on my shoulder.

I go to try and block one of his swings, but it stops short. A gurgle comes from his mouth, and a small arrow protrudes from his throat. I turn to look behind me, and I see the girl I helped lower her bow and smile briefly at me. I return the grim gesture with a nod, but there's no time to celebrate. Another one's already coming at me. This time, I try to do the unexpected. I feint right only to swing to the left, or I block with one of my sais to lunge with the other. It works a few times, but I still receive a few more cuts, one right across my cheek. Still, in the end my attempt at new tactics are rewarded, and my attacker falls to the ground without his head. I almost bend down to move the veil so I can see the face, but one of the remaining sprites lets out a panicked cry, and I have to rush to save the doomed boy.

Miraculously, the ratio of us to our attackers is about even now, and almost half of the fallen enemy can be attributed to Rhos. She's fought with them before; she knows how they attack and how to counter. I make a mental note to ask her for advice when we get back. I don't consider the alternative, because it actually looks as if we could win a tiny victory this time. It'll be our first. And it won't be our last, not if I have anything to say about it.

After what feels like another hour of fighting and blocking and parrying and defending and attacking, no one else strikes out from the trees to kill us.

"Rhos, I think...I think they're gone."

"Maybe. But come, we should all leave before a new group comes." Rhoslyn goes and retrieves what knives she can find, and then we all clear out as quickly as we can. Some of the the warriors need help walking, which the less wounded of us provide happily.

"Thank you, princess," the older sprite I'm helping croaks out, leaning on me gratefully.

"It's the least I can do," I murmur back. It's still sinking that we're alive I think.

We painstakingly make our way through the woods and meadow, and back to the village. By now the sun's just started to rise and the first of the early risers are emerging from their houses to retrieve dry laundry or start on the weeding or harvest a few ripe strawberries to go with breakfast. As soon as they see the group of us, they let out a cheer that's slow at first, but it grows as more sprites wake up from the steadily growing din. By the time we make it to the infirmary, almost everyone who lives in the village or palace has lined the street. A few even throw flowers up in the air to celebrate.

We get the badly wounded inside the healing house, and then we go back outside to answer the questions everyone's probably dying to ask. Sure enough, the half-dozen of us who don't need immediate medical attention are bombarded with questions amid cheers the second our feet land outside.

"Have you defeated them?"

"Where did the battle take place?"

"Princess, do you need to see the Queen?"

"Will the injured be alright?"

I can barely understand anyone, because so many are still cheering. Rhoslyn and the others answer most of the questions, and I answer the few I can. Honestly, the four who remain standing of the group can answer much better than Rhos or I. We only got there for maybe the last half of the battle.

Suddenly the crowd clears a path, and Mother walks toward me and the group, but me in particular. She looks, in point of fact, rather put out.

"Come with me, daughter?" She phrases it as a question, but I can hear the commanding undertone. She's kind enough not to embarrass me in front of the crowd though.

I follow her obediently, knowing I'm going to get a little bit of an earful. As soon as we're out of sight of the crowd, who's still quite focused on the others, Mother whips around to face me and regards me with the sternest look I've ever seen from her.

"Now Laurah, just **what were you thinking**?" Her eyes flash as she fixes me with an angry and hurt stare, one that makes me shrink a few inches in height.

"I-I'm sorry, I just...Rhos and I heard the skirmish. We were in the meadow, because it's been so long since we went, and then...I don't know, we just ran and got our weapons and had to help. I'm sorry, but is it really such a bad thing?"

"For Rhoslyn? No. For you? Yes! Your desire to aid our people is admirable, but I expect you to use your head in future. Am I understood?" Mother demands, placing both hands firmly on my shoulders and bending down to stare me right in the eye.

"I don't completely understand, no. Why does my life mean so much?"

"You are set to marry Hallan! You could stop the entire war with that one action alone! Why must you aid it in its course by jumping into battle?!"

I try to step back from my mother's anger and harshness, but she holds me fast. For a few moments, I meet her piercing stare earnestly, but before long I drop my eyes. She's right, I should have been wiser. Still...I'm not sorry I helped my people.

"I understand now, Mother," I whisper, trying desperately not to be ashamed of my actions. I know they weren't wrong, just foolish. I'll learn from this then.

She sighs in seeming relief and releases her death grip on my shoulders.

"Very good. You may go now."

I turn to do just that, but I don't want to leave things like this.

"I'm sorry, Mother."

Her features soften into a gentle smile of forgiveness, and she replies, "You are forgiven. Now go. Hallan is to be released from the healing house today. I must ask you to do all you can to keep him out of trouble."

"Yes, Mother."

She smiles once more and turns to go back inside the palace. I turn too, and head straight for the infirmary. Hallan shouldn't be out on his own at all, not until we're sure beyond sure that we can trust him.

Just as soon as I reappear in the street, the crowd welcomes me with easy smiles and light pats on the back. I smile back and make my way to the healing house. Rhos waves to me from a little ways down the street, and I return the friendly gesture before disappearing inside. And the minute my foot's in the door, Lassen descends on me.

"You should have come straight here! Your wounds need to be cleaned, Highness," he reprimands me, in the most perfect combination of stern and respectful I've ever heard.

"I'm sorry, my mother wanted to see me," I apologize, willingly letting him lead me to the back, where he sits me down on one of the chairs and proceeds to clean me up. I'm lucky I don't need stitches, not really. Lassen recommends them for the gash on my leg, but when he tells me they're not necessary if I'm very careful, I rush to assure him that I'll be very very careful and there's really no need for stitches.

"You'd best be as careful as you say, Highness," he retorts, and it almost sounds teasing.

I can't hold back my smile, and when he asks me why I'm smiling, I say, "Lassen, I do believe that's the first time I've heard you tease anyone."

His eyes grow wide as he hurriedly tries to apologize, but I rush to assure him that it wasn't out of line at all, it was nice to hear. After that he seems to relax, and he finishes fixing me up quickly.

"Thank you. Now, is it true that Hallan is to be released today?"

"He has no further need to stay here, Highness, and we need every cot we can get. I'm afraid we have little choice."

"It's quite alright, he will stay in the palace. I would offer to help today, but unless I can convince Hallan to help too, I'm afraid I'll be babysitting him all day." It's a shame; I rather liked my days helping out here. Perhaps I can study the art of healing. It's ever so rewarding being able to help people get better.

"Do not worry yourself, Princess. We can make do quite well, especially as your friend Rhoslyn has taken to assisting us as well," Lassen reassures me kindly.

"Thank you, Lassen." With a smile and a dip of my head, I take my leave and go straight to Hallan's cot. He's healed up quite nicely, and the smell of magic has almost left him.

"Good morning, princess. Come to collect me, have you?"

"In point of fact, yes. I don't suppose I could persuade you to hang around here all day?"

"Princess, I've spent far too many weeks in here to consent to that. Perhaps our time would be better spent roaming your palace? If it's to be my temporary home, I'd best learn to find my way around, don't you agree?"

"Temporary home?" I echo. I don't like how he wants to know his way around the palace. It'd make it a whole lot easier for him to either escape or attack it from the inside. My worries and reservations must show in my eyes, because he laughs at me.

"Don't worry yourself, I have no ulterior motives, not at the moment. And even were I to have a few, I am now bound to tell you, am I not?"

"Why's that?"

"Surely you must have heard of our engagement?" He relishes saying it, knowing it makes me cringe.

"I have." I manage to keep my voice neutral, but I'm really thinking I'll take Rhos up on that offer for a sledgehammer wedding present. I might need that.

"To your palace then!" he exclaims in mock cheerfulness and enthusiasm. He offers me his arm, but I cooly refuse it. He chuckles, clearly expecting that reaction.

I do my best to fix him with a dark glare, but it only makes him raise an eyebrow. Unfazed, he turns on his heel and walks outside, and I have no choice but to follow.

I manage to make up the distance between us so I can walk beside him as we approach the palace. I can keep a better eye on him this way, though I don't know why Mother thinks I could stop him from doing anything if he was set on it. He could probably snap my neck right now if he wanted to.

"Keeping an eye on me, princess?"

"I guess you could call it that. And seeing as how we're going to be stuck with each other for quite a while, maybe you should drop the whole princess thing? I know you don't mean it."

"So it's respect you want from me then?"

"The only thing I'd really like from you is a vanishing act, quite frankly!" I snap, forgetting the old adage that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

He looks taken aback for a moment, but he grins at me. "I did not know you had that in you."

"Had what?" My voice climbs in aggravation and shortness, and I'm truthfully very seriously considering the political ramifications were I to give him a jolly good slap across the cheek.

"That," he answers, pointing at my tense face. "I had no idea you could be so..."

"So _what_?" Does he enjoy wearing my patience thin?!

"So...fiery. Perhaps being married to you will not be so much of a chore after all."

"What is that supposed to mean? Do you have a fetish for snappy women?" Maybe he has one for women who belt him upside the head too.

"I rather enjoy meeting my match."

"You could snap my neck with one hand," I scoff, thinking how very very much I absolutely **loathe** him as I look up at his amused yet somehow earnest face.

"Ah, but I do not wish to. Surely that counts for something?"

I force myself to take a deep, calming breath and slowly let my frustration fade. I'd best get on good terms with this man, if he's going to put a ring on my finger.

However, as soon as my anger calms down, Hallan sighs with something that could be akin to disappointment.

"There you go again, getting all calm and reserved. I do wish you wouldn't."

"Why?"

"I ought to get to know the real you. How am I to do so if all you show is a mask?"

Well, that's just-...what? Where did this side of him come from?

"Look at me," I command, impressing even myself with my no-room-for-argument tone.

Surprisingly, Hallan stops and does as I say.

"Bend down. I'm short."

"Want a kiss, princess?"

"No, I want to see your eyes. Bend down, dammit!" I don't mean to raise my voice, but it happens anyway.

Hallan smiles at me before obeying, though with an infuriating smirk on his face.

I look into his stormy grey eyes long and hard, and I don't see the one thing I'm looking for: I don't see any green.

"Strange..." I whisper to myself. But I nod that he can straighten up again, and we continue on to the palace.

"I do suspect you loathe me, princess," Hallan suddenly mocks me out of the blue, prompting me to fantasize hitting him in the head with a frying pan.

"You have no idea. In fact, I often think how pleasant it would be to smack you with a few good-sized bricks. I think I might change the vows to 'to love and to loathe.' You make me so **mad**, and you seem so happy about it! You're like that one annoying brat in middle school who thinks he's some big shot, and he's just trying to feel better by making everyone else feel like horse shit. I think I really do hate you. I hate you! I hate you all the more for your brief moments of kindness or gentleness or understanding, because each time that happens I have a little hope that you're actually a decent human being, but then you go back to being a total ass! Do you enjoy it? Oh of course you do! Why else do you do it?" I finish bitterly, my face screwing up into a mess of anger and frustration and something vulnerable. I guess it's about time I cracked.

"I do believe that is the most...honest thing you have ever said to me."

"See, here you go again! Acting kind of nice, but you're just going to turn around and be awful again soon!" Maybe if I get all the yelling out of my system now, we'll fight less when we have to share the same bedroom. Maybe.

Hallan doesn't say anything in response. The only thing he does is clasp his hands behind his back and walk silently beside me. What infuriates me most is how calm he is about the whole thing. Still, I've got most of the hollering finished for now, so I shut my mouth and stalk along beside him. After a few steps, it occurs to me that I really look like more of a child throwing a tantrum than an angry young woman. I adjust my gait to my normal stride.

The two of us enter the palace, and I show him to a guest room close by to mine. I want it to be very very hard for him to be able to sneak around at night without me knowing. I'll have to sleep with sais in my room; I can be a threat to him with those. Without them, I'm fresh meat, so to speak, but with them, he should be a bit concerned about ticking me off.

I'm amazed that he manages to keep his mouth shut the entire winding way through the hallways to his new room. It simmers me down quite quickly, and somehow a tiny seed of regret for yelling at him works its way into my heart. I usually don't snap like that, not to the offending person's face. I vent in private. Except for with Hallan, apparently. Maybe I was overreacting about that hitting him with bricks bit.

"Well, now that you have shown me the worst of you, I believe I am quite ready to marry you. I can see nothing but the best now." With a smile that definitely stinks of patronization, Hallan disappears inside his new room.

Nope, that brick idea is totally reasonable. I slam the door behind him and walk back outside. I really need to cool down. Hallan should be fine for a few minutes, and I'll have an excuse to teach him a bit of a lesson if he tries anything. So either way, things work out. I vaguely register the sound of a horse trotting in the nearby forest, but I'm too focused on keeping my breathing deep and even to notice much. Only when a golden nose nuzzles my cheek to I look up.

"Asha! I haven't seen you in oh so long!" I cry joyously, throwing my arms around my faithful horse's neck and burying my face in her mane.

My beautiful mare nickers and seems to hug me back by pressing her chin against my back.

"Where've you been? I'm so happy you're alright!" I can't believe I didn't remember her before now! It's a miracle she's even alive, with the war going on.

Asha shakes her horsey head at me, and I understand that she's right; it doesn't really matter, does it? She's here now, and that's all that matters. And she's ready to go for a ride too. She prances and bobs her head eagerly at me, even turning so her side is facing me. I could mount up now and we'd be off. It's so very tempting, but I remember Hallan up in the palace. I really shouldn't leave him alone for long, especially not in the palace. I should've locked his door; then I could go riding with my Asha.

Luckily for me, I'm distracted from plotting Hallan's eternal torments when a small commotion bursts to life way at the far end of the village.

"Shall we check it out or stay here?" I ask my horse. I have to laugh when she turns again and walks a few steps forward, effectively blocking me from running forward to investigate.

"I suppose you're right. If it's an attack, Mother would be dreadfully upset with me if I charged in for the second time in one day."

Asha bobs her head at my words, and I shake my head, mystified at my horse. She really must understand me, but it's strange that she's not a Talking Horse. It would make communication a bit easier if she was, but I guess she just wasn't born that way. I love her no matter what.

A small band of sprites enters the village, but I hear something else amid the shouts of welcome. My ears pick up on another set of hoofbeats hitting the packed dirt ground, and I try to peek out from behind Asha. She regards me sternly for a moment before relenting and turning so I can see who's riding up. When the rider comes into view and I recognize who it is, I couldn't be more surprised.

"Nikki?"

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**Now we can hope Nikki can give Laurah a good talking to about her engagement! Go get her Nikki! XD**

**Please let me know what you thought, you wonderful readers! :D**


	9. Chapter 8

**Whew, I remembered to update! I move in to college tomorrow and then orientation's going to be tearing by, so it might be a little more than 2 days until my next update, but I'll do my very best to stay on top of it :) **

**Thank you so so much to NymphadoraLupin98, Evy201, and joycelyn. for your wonderful reviews! I hope this story continues to please you! And of course, an equally warm thank you to all my readers, favoriters, and followers! You all help me so much with this story and never fail to make my day!**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 8**

**Laurah POV:**

I blink several times to make sure I'm not imagining my best friend riding up. What on earth is she doing here? And how did she even manage to find us? Did she follow the returning sprites? Why did she want to? Actually, that's probably out of a desire to rush me back to Cair Paravel, knowing Nikki.

"What are you doing here? I mean...how...?" I trail off, not wanting to sound rude but still utterly confounded.

"Nice to see you too. I missed you chica, and I thought I'd pay you a little visit. Not to disappointed, are ya?" she chirps, sounding quite cheerful and also a bit put out underneath the friendliness.

"Alright, I'm sorry about running off into the forest like that, but-"

"Hakuna matata, you had a good reason. Right?"

"Yes, I did."

"Then you're forgiven. Though I do think you might want to at least write a letter explaining that to Cas. Just saying."

"Nikki, you haven't even been here five minutes and already you bring him up!" I cry, exasperated with her for constantly bringing him up and myself for feeling a little pang in my heart at the mention of the Narnian king.

"Well, is there a reason I shouldn't?" she asks all too casually as she dismounts.

"Yes! There are several very good reasons you shouldn't!"

"The top of those would be...?"

"I..." Two extremely good reasons come to mind: my dream back on the _Dawn Treader_, and my upcoming nuptials.

Nikki instantly picks up on my pain, and she softens considerably.

"Okay, I'm sorry. On another subject, is there someplace I can put this horse?"

"Asha?" I turn to my golden horse, and I'm pleased when she bobs her head and whickers to the chestnut Nikki rode up on. The two of them canter off into the forest, presumably to Asha's home. It's probably very close by.

"It's okay. It's just a bit of a sore subject with me. Especially since-"

"Ah, there you are princess. I confess I wondered where you had gone off to."

"What are YOU doing here?" I mutter with a scowl.

"I believe I am not supposed to be in the palace unsupervised?"

I bite my tongue to keep from telling him that I wanted some time to cool off. He'd only be more satisfied with himself. Though that becomes all the harder when I consider how on earth he found his way out of the palace so easily.

Nikki chooses that moment to clear her throat and look questioningly at me.

"Ah yes, introductions. Nikki, this is-"

"Hallan, milady. We are set to be married."

If Nikki had been drinking something, she'd surely have done a spit take right then. As it is, her eyes bug out and she fixes me with one of those "We WILL discuss this later and I have plenty to say about this" looks. In response, I shrug helplessly. It's not like I had a whole lot of say in the matter.

"Alright Hallan, what's the real reason you came down?" He didn't come to find me and stay out of trouble, I'd bet a fortune on it.

"How wonderfully perceptive of you, princess!" he mocks, fixing me with an insincere bow.

I love my best friend.

Nikki walks right up to him while he's busy adding flourishes and other ridiculous add-ons to his bow and smacks him right across his lowered face.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that myself," I whisper to her, a satisfied and amused smile spreading across my face.

She only smirks in response as Hallan loses his balance, staggers sideways, and finally stands up straight again, his face a delightful painting of surprise and shock.

"Please refrain from making fun of my best friend, bozo-brain.," Nikki says cooly, and I have to bite my tongue to keep from busting up laughing.

"I owe you one, Nikki."

"I know." She smiles innocently, but I know she's got something in mind. She always does.

"Now then, fiancee dearest, what was it you wanted to tell me?" Oh it feels so good to be sarcastic with him!

"I wished only to convey a message I recently remembered. The lady wished me to tell you, if I ever came to meet you."

I narrow my eyes, but quickly hide my suspicion. That's a rather important piece of information he let slip just then.

"Alright, let's hear it then.

"The green lady wishes you to take great care in who you trust. She wishes you to know that there is a traitor to you in your palace, and another in King Caspian's circle."

Why on earth would she want me to know that? If she's on the enemy side, why warn me?

Nikki manages to look as perplexed and innocently curious as me, but I know she's practically baking in her own suspicion as well. I'm of the same mind, personally.

"Thank you for the warning then," I answer simply, not really sure how I should react.

"Thank the lady, and not me. Now, I do believe I should like to practice my weaponry. Perhaps a trip to your training grounds could be arranged?"

I'm about to refuse, but a wiser part of me whispers that I should let him go and practice; maybe I can pick up the enemy's way of fighting if I watch often enough. So I put on an appeasing smile and answer, "Yes, I think that would be lovely. But first, we must get my friend settled in. Then we can go and practice your fighting skills."

"Very well" is all he says, and I link arms with Nikki and lead her inside the palace. I leave Hallan to follow us at a distance.

"Whoa, this is...pretty. Lots of flowers, aren't there?" she says as we walk slowly through the hallways.

"Indeed there are. How does a room next to mine sound?"

"Perfect! We can sneak out at night and get into all kinds of mischief, just like the old days!" she whispers gleefully, rubbing her hands together in anticipation of all the trouble we'll get into.

"No cars to hot-wire I'm afraid, but there's still plenty of mischief to be had," I laughingly assure her.

I fire a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure Hallan's still in sight, though only because I don't want to have to track him down later. As a matter of fact, for convenience's sake...

"Hallan, why don't you reacquaint yourself with your room?"

He shrugs nonchalantly before doing as I ask.

"Good, now I can track him down later and we can have a few minutes of girl time!" I spout, pleased at the current situation now.

"Well he listens to you when you ask him to do something, so that's a start."

"I still don't want to have his ring on my finger." I try not to sound whiny, but I'm only half successful.

"Believe me, I don't want you to either," Nikki replies bluntly. "Especially if he's the one trying to kill good ol' Cas."

"Wait, what?" I'm confused now. Wasn't everything just fine when I left?

"Oh yeah, by the way, Caspian's survived two assassination attempts in the past month. One of them very narrowly, I might add. You don't know of a sprite who's extremely pissed at him, do you? Because the arrow that shot him in the shoulder looks like one of y'alls. In other words, it looks like a sprite arrow. Same design and everything." Nikki rattles all that off in about two breaths, and so casually that I almost can't process it.

"Is Caspian alright?" The words slip out before I can swallow them.

"He's still recovering from that arrow to his shoulder, but I stopped him from eating any of the poisoned breakfast, so he's fairly alright, yes."

How is she managing to sound so calm about this?

"Why did you leave then? If you saved his life why come into the woods after me? You need to get back there!"

A pang of guilt swoops over me as soon as the words leave my mouth, both for not appreciating Nikki's gesture in coming here and for implying that Caspian's her responsibility.

"He's got a whole palace of people to look after him. He'll be fine if his adopted little sis is away for a few days. Speaking of which, is there any way I can get word to him that I've arrived safe and sound? It's been a good few days since I left, so he's probably a little worried."

I silently open the door to the room on the other side of mine and mutely nod my head to tell her to go in.

"Little sister?" I echo. That isn't what...the dream...little sister?

"Yeah, little sister. Lilli's like his wise older sis and I'm his fun-loving, mischievous little sis. So he's kinda got a family, you know?"

I clear my throat to make myself forget about my dream on the _Dawn Treader_ and the confusion it's bringing up.

"That's...wonderful. I'm happy you and Lilli can help him."

Nikki opens her mouth like she's going to say something, but she closes it slowly, like she changed her mind.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

Silence stretches between us for far too long, but Nikki busies herself with unpacking the small bundles she's brought with her.

"How is your MopMan?"

Ah, here's the Nikki I know.

"Well you know, I met his family and we've kissed a few times, and...well I guess we're kind of together. I should probably figure that out..." she giggles her Nikki-laugh, and it perks up my spirits a bit. Maybe this can be just like old times after all.

"I'm happy for you," I reply genuinely, smiling at my best friend. I really am happy she's with Sadrian...I just wasn't expecting it, not really. I imagined her with...well I guess it doesn't matter now.

"What's on your mind, chica? You're shifting from foot to foot like you've got ants in your pants. Or well, in your dress." Nikki looks at me pointedly, and I decide to skate around what's really on my mind in favor of the other pressing matter she'd like to know about.

"Just thinking about how we're going to manage girl time with Hallan around is all," I bluff, hoping she won't see through me, that she'll be too occupied with wanting to know about how we got engaged.

"On that subject, why in the name of all Cupids did he say you two are engaged?"

"Well, mostly likely because it's true I'd imagine."

"...WHAT?!"

I wince and jam my hands over my poor ears as Nikki lets out a shriek loud enough to make my great-great-great-great-great grandparents roll over in their graves.

"WHY did you say yes? He's a...a...a stinking little...oorgh there are no insults great enough!" she spews, pacing back and forth in front of me. "And did you even think for a minute about how poor CASPIAN is going to feel about this?!"

"I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter, Nikki," I reply, defending myself. And I explain the whole thing to her.

"Oh...well that just...that's a deep shithole to have let yourself get thrown in, chica."

"Thank you, for that lovely mental image," I answer dryly, pursing my lips and rolling my eyes. Nikki always does come up with the most interesting ways of phrasing things.

"No probs. But still, did it EVER occur to you that just MAYBE Caspian might have been able to help with this?"

"I wouldn't want to impose, and besides, Mother doesn't want the Narnians to get involved," I quickly spout, deciding to fully ignore the torrid pace my heart-rate is building to.

"Chica...you are an imbecile. Seriously! Am I on reefer or are we currently IN Narnia?!"

"It's different, and you know it!"

"Then pray explain to me why 'Narnian' and 'sprite' fails to be synonymous."

Nikki's challenge rattles me, most especially because I've been wondering the same thing myself for the past few days, weeks, whatever.

"I...I don't know!" I finally sputter out, admitting defeat in spite of myself.

Nikki just shakes her head and focuses her gaze to the side.

"Poor Cas...This marriage was necessary WHY now?"

"An alliance between the sprites and an enemy commander might help things. Stop the fighting, you know?"

"But you've got to **marry** marry him? As in, all the stuff that marriage usually implies?"

"I dearly hope not, but I have a feeling yes." I try not to think about all the implications of marriage...especially the nighttime implications.

"Ew," she replies bluntly, echoing my feelings on the matter. It'll be no pleasant experience, being married to Hallan...that I'm sure of.

"You'd best finish unpacking." I change the subject abruptly, because I don't want to think about it any more.

Nikki does so quicker than I thought possible, and then we sit on the edge of the bed.

"So, on another topic: what do you make of that message Hallan spouted?" I ask. I'd like a second opinion to back mine up.

"Two possibilities: 1) it's a load of bullcrap, or 2) he's actually telling the truth. In the first case, have Asha kick him in the shnoozle. In the event of the second...it doesn't make a lot of sense. At all."

"How very insightful. Call me crazy, but I don't think we should dismiss it. It could be important, and with the war going on we can't afford to take the chance of ignoring it."

"What's your take on it?"

"Well, I've originally thought that this 'green lady' is the enemy leader we've been looking for, but then why would she send me this message? Why warn me about traitors? Why help me at all?"

"Unless it's bait for a trap, or she wants you to think she's on your side when she's really not," Nikki reasons, and her theory sounds much more likely than anything else.

"You're probably right. But is the message true? That's what's really important."

"If it is, we'd best get crackin' on who those traitors might be. Don'tcha think?"

I nod my agreement vehemently. "Definitely. But there are so many people to go through..."

"Well we can rule out Hallan here, and Jaystorm, Glenstorm, Trumpkin, Reepicheep, Lilliandil, and Professor Cornelius at Cair Paravel."

"Hallan? Why?"

"He'd hardly deliver the message if he was the traitor himself, don't ya think?"

"Good point. Well, we can also rule out Ainslie and Mother and Rhoslyn."

"You're sure about all three?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Nikki hesitates, and I instantly know she doubts at least one of the three I mentioned.

"What is it, Nikki?"

"Promise you won't get super duper mad?"

I'm truly confused, and more than a little worried too. But I promise.

"Alright. How does your mom react to the subject of Caspian?"

"I don't really talk about him."

"Hm" is all Nikki says in return.

"Maybe we can talk about this later. I don't want to leave Hallan to his own devices for too long." I stand up and make my way to the door, leaving it up to Nikki whether or not to come with me. I remember that she said something about needing to send word that she's arrived safely.

"If you write a letter, I can give it to one of the forest birds. They'll deliver it for you."

"Awesome. I'll stay here and write that, and you can go babysit."

We both have a quick laugh over that before going our separate ways for a little while.

As soon as I leave Nikki's room, Mother calls to me from down the hall.

"Laurah? May I have a moment?"

"Coming Mother," I answer, going down to her.

"I am sorry to bring this up, daughter, but we should discuss the details of the wedding."

"Oh...that. Yes, I suppose we should."

"I do believe it must be soon."

"Yes, I understand." I do, but I don't like it.

Mother's mouth opens again, but an almighty roar drowns out whatever she was going to say. At first, it just sounds like a single loud cacophony, but as I listen, I discover that it's a battle cry. And it's not ours.

I don't even give Mother a moment to tell me not to go; I'm dashing down the hall and heading outside before she can even move to stop me.

"Nikki, stay inside!" I bellow as I catch sight of my best friend starting to go after me.

"But-"

"STAY INSIDE!"

Surprisingly, Nikki listens and does as I say. I know she must barely know how to use a sword, and I prefer her alive. She'll die for sure if she tries to join in.

"Princess, you should stay inside," a male voice calls from just down another hall.

My response is a very vehement flash of my middle finger, even though he probably won't know what it means. Inside ten seconds, I've burst through the palace doors and started making my way to the armory for my pair of sais.

I manage to make it there without incident, though an enemy arrow whizzes in front of me as I dash through the door. Once my sais are in my hands, I'm back out with my people.

Mothers are rushing their children inside and coming back out of their houses with weapons in their hands, and fathers are sprinting out into the streets to join them. I feel a surge of pride for these brave sprites. Every sprite is taught how to fight, but not all are masters. And yet everyone who can wield a weapon of any sort is here in the streets, ready to fight.

Somehow, I manage to find Rhoslyn in the chaos, and I join her on the front line. The weakest should be in the back, so they'll have a better chance.

"Here we go again," she mouths, and a smile cracks my serious face.

"They're just p-o'd about earlier this morning," I reply, and a smile slips into her eyes too.

It takes much longer than I expect for our attackers to come into view, but I can't help my twinge of fear when they finally appear. We're grossly outnumbered. We'll all be lucky to escape with our lives.

I risk a glance behind me, and when I see that not a single soul has moved to flee, my courage reappears. Their strength gives me a glimmer of hope, and I turn back around with a new determination in my eyes. At least I can take out maybe a dozen before they get past me, with any luck. Of course, luck isn't something to count on nowadays, but still.

For a breathless moment, the war cries stop and both sides stare at each other in steely silence. We don't make any move to attack, and the rebels, if that's what they're called, don't either. They clearly expect us to run, but we don't. Then, they slowly start to walk forward. We brace ourselves. Walking turns to jogging, and jogging to full-out running. Still, we do nothing but raise shields and ready our swords and arrows.

"Now!" Rhos suddenly screams out, and arrows whiz past my shoulders and toward the enemy.

More often than not, our arrows find their targets, and half of the first row falls.

"Fire at will!" I yell, and more arrows fly forward past me. Our archers must have very good aim, to shoot so perfectly between our ranks and into the enemy's.

The enemy draws closer still, and my heartbeat pounds in my ears as I sink into my heels and grip the handles of my sais ever tighter. And for one long second, time freezes. Then they're on us.

My sais slash indiscriminately at anything in the enemy's armor, and I close my ears to the sound of my metal biting into flesh. It's much easier to fight them when they come at us full-on, as opposed to their sneak attack styles of this morning. Several times, I feel one of their weapons bite into my skin, but I quickly learn to ignore it after wiping a trickle of blood from my forehead almost costs me my head.

The fighting seems to stretch on for hours, and I stay close to Rhoslyn. We end up fighting back to back, because it offers us both more protection that way. And naturally, in battle, protection is everything. She saves my neck a good number of times, and I save hers, sometimes quite literally. Our attackers seem to have a special penchant for battle axes, especially double-headed ones.

Out of the chaos of the battle, my ears pick up the cries of a small child. I try to look around to find it, but I have a new attacker every time I turn my head. More injuries score my body, and I have to yell to Rhoslyn what I heard.

"You sure?" she hollers back as she relieves one soldier of both his mace and his hand.

"Positive!"

"Go then, I'll be fine!" As if to prove this, her sword slices one of the enemy in two across his torso.

"Don't die while I'm gone!" With that, I fight my way past a particularly ferocious soldier swinging a heavy sword at my middle and sprint through the battle, trying to find that child. I can't hear it anymore, but I'm not sure its dead. I would've heard it scream; I'm sure of that much. Somewhere off to my left, I spot a patch of light brown hair too close to the ground to be an adult. It's the child, I know it.

My moment of distraction costs me, and I grit my teeth against a scream as an enemy arrow bites into the side of my arm. Without a moment's hesitation, I yank it free and bury it in the neck of the next solder to attack me.

But I'm so very close to that poor child now, and it surely won't be long before a soldier notices it and kills it. Or rather, her. It's a small girl who can't be any older than six. Go figure. I scoop her up and clap a hand over her mouth as she starts to let loose another cry, and rush her inside the closest building I see.

"Stay here, hide, and don't make a sound, okay?" I whisper-shout, and she nods her teary, frightened obedience. I smile with relief when two other children reach out and pull her into their near-invisible hiding place, and turn to go.

As soon as I open the door to squeeze out, something crashes into me and sends me flying back inside. A grunt escapes my lips as I land hard on my back, the wind effectively knocked from my lungs. Even as I wheeze oxygen back into them, my eyes focus on a very unwelcome sight.

"What the hell was that?!" I scream at the man covering my body with his own.

In answer, Hallan points to the wall behind me and scrambles to his feet. The sound of a scuffle sounds in my ears, but I wrench my neck and see the dagger embedded in the back wall. He saved my life.

I force myself to sit back up, and I gape at the sight of Hallan fighting with one of his own men. I rush to get my legs back under me so I can see better, and maybe work my way past the two of them so I can get back to Rhos. I can puzzle over this later.

However, getting past the fighting men proves impossible, but suddenly they stop before I can force my way through. The soldier suddenly backs away from Hallan, muttering what sounds like an apology. Hallan accepts it with a curt nod of his head, and the soldier steps aside to let him outside. I raise my sais that I miraculously managed to keep in my hands this whole time, ready for the certain incoming attack from the enemy soldier. But it never comes, and I squeeze warily past when the soldier bows to me and gestures for me to go outside too. I do, but I never fully turn my back on him.

"Enough!"

Hallan's deep voice bellows out across the battle, and everyone stops fighting almost instantly. A voice that loud isn't to be ignored, apparently. As for me, I simply stand behind him with my jaw agape. What on earth is he doing?

"No more of this. Men, leave at once. We do not fight today."

To my great surprise, every last enemy soldier nods their obedience and all but melts away. They retreat out of the village and streets, and vanish into the forest. When I glance behind me, even the solder in the doorway is gone.

All the sprites look quite confused, but slowly a cheer rises up. It starts small, and it ends as a deafening roar of relief and joy and thanks. Even Rhos is cheering, but I can only stare in confounded silence. What...why would he do that? He's not on our side! ...Right?

"What on earth...how...are you drunk?" I finally manage to stutter out, my face surely bearing every sign of my confusion.

"My men cannot attack my future wife's people, can they?"

I can't conjure up a response from my lips, and my mouth ends up opening and closing like a fish.

He laughs at me then, and I find enough resolve to muster a glare.

"Why so confused? I had thought you would be grateful," he says, still laughing openly.

"I...well...you...I would be, if it made sense..." I barely manage to come up with a coherent sentence. My thoughts won't piece themselves together.

Hallan shakes his head amusedly at me and continues to laugh, though he quiets a little bit.

"Why?" I blurt out.

"Why?" he echoes, for once not mockingly.

"You saved my life, and now you stopped the attack. Why? Whose side are you on?" I really wish I could phrase all this a bit more eloquently, but it's a miracle in and of itself that I can manage full sentences.

"Perhaps sides are no longer relevant."

I open my mouth to yell at him to stop being cryptic, but I remember that we aren't in private right now. And my people are cheering. I should at least show a little gratitude.

"Thank you," I finally manage, and I surprise myself by actually meaning it.

"You're welcome," he answers, clearly still amused but having the courtesy to hide it for now.

When he smiles, I shock myself even more by returning it.

Maybe Mother was right, after all. Look at this. He stopped a battle and probably saved every sprite in this village. I can't quite wrap my head around the possiblity that it was a direct result of the engagement, but there really isn't much else of an explanation.

"You utterly confound me," I mutter, knowing by his slight smile that he can hear me.

"We are even at last," is his reply.

I don't understand that either. Or maybe I do, but I just don't want to. Either way, I'm still hopelessly confused. But one look out at the still cheering sprites puts my mind at ease at least for now. If they can just be happy about this...well, why shouldn't I be?

My eyes turn to look at the palace doors, where my mother stands looking at this perplexing but pleasing scene, and my eyes surely bug out when she looks at Hallan with clear approval written on her face. But then, I would be approved in her shoes too, I suppose.

When the cheers subside, Hallan turns to me and tugs me in the direction of the healing house before I can properly object.

"Why do you care?" I manage to blurt out as he brings me inside and starts taking care of my battle wounds.

Hallan doesn't answer, unless re-dressing the rather impressive gash on my thigh from this morning counts. Which it doesn't, at least in my book.

It occurs to me to wonder when he learned to dress and clean wounds, but I don't ask. He does it rather quickly, quicker than Lassen does, so I won't complain.

We're out before any of the healers even notice we're in there.

I walk along silently behind him as he leads me back to the palace, holding my hand as we walk. When he swings the door open for the both of us and nods respectfully to Mother, I simply stare incredulously. I manage a smile at my mother before we continue on. I fully expect him to take me to my room and leave me there, but he catches me off guard once again and surprises me.

"Where are we going?" I ask, half expecting him to ignore me.

"Patience, princess," is his short but somehow polite response. Since when is he polite?!

I'm really and truly surprised when we end up in a garden I've never seen before. I know of only one in the palace. Yet here we are, in a second. It's breathtaking.

The only light comes from sparsely placed little lanterns hung from gold-colored posts, and the stone path is covered by a soft yet dry and unslippery moss. There are no flowers, at least not outright. This whole place is occupied by different trees, some flowering and some fruit-bearing and some evergreen, all arching over the pathways. This place is its own mini forest, in its own right.

"Where are we?"

"Our little corner of paradise, if you will."

I gape over how uncharacteristically gentle his voice manages to sound.

"What do you mean 'our'?" My voice comes out gentle too, to my everlasting astonishment.

"Your mother has been preparing this for you ever since you returned, or so she tells me."

"What for?"

"Yourself, and any husband you might have."

"She never told me about it," I answer, narrowing my eyes suspiciously at him.

"Naturally not. Surprises are not meant to be known beforehand," he chuckles.

I try to tug my hand free from his, but he's strong enough to keep me from slipping away.

"Let me go, please," I grind out through my teeth. I almost slap myself when I realize I don't mean that entirely.

"The minute I am sure you wish me too, I will."

I force myself to take a deep and calming breath, and the full fragrance of this beautiful place hits me when I do. One wall around my heart starts to crumble, though I do my best to keep it up.

"Why are you doing all this?" I whisper, my throat constricting painfully. It's so unlike him, and I don't trust it, not one bit. Yet my heart is responding against my will. How he must be enjoying this.

My frustration only grows when he doesn't answer me. I try to keep myself calm, but I fail miserably.

"Say something!" I finally scream out, really and truly fighting to get my hand free from his grip now.

He lets my hand go at last, but only to spin around, grab both my forearms, and pull me toward him aggressively. I flinch and brace myself on instinct, the aggressivness reminding me of my human father's drunken temper. But I can't smell any alcohol on Hallan's breath.

I'm about to yell at him to let me go, I truly am. I've had enough of this.

I'm silenced by his mouth on mine.

* * *

**If you've got plans to kill me, hold off on it for a little while yet! I promise everything will work out! ...in my own little way ;D**

**Please do take a moment to let me know your thoughts, I love hearing from each and every one of you! :D**


	10. Chapter 9

**Well, all I have to say is that college is getting a bit crazy and orientation left me with not a lot of spare time, so I'm sorry for keeping you wonderful readers waiting for so long! I'll have to push the updating time back to 3 days, since I have no idea how much homework I'll have, but I do know it'll be a lot of writing and reading. In short, updates are now 3 days apart and I'm sorry XD**

**Thank you loads to Evy201, joycelyn. , and Guest for reviewing! Guest, since I can't send a PM to reply, I'll answer at the bottom of the chapter, so look for my reply to your fabulous review there ;D**

**Without further ado, Chapter 9! Enjoy! **

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Laurah POV:**

I don't know what surprises me more: the kiss or the fact that I don't pull away. I want to and at the same time I don't. So, inexplicably, I stay put. And somehow, against my will, I'm returning the action, and it turns into a fight for dominance. I don't relent, and neither does he. Only when we both need to breathe do we stop.

When I come back to full awareness, I find that my hands are fisted in Hallan's hair, but not in a passionate way - in an angry way. A way meant to cause him a bit of pain. Still, I know he'll mistake it for enthusiasm, and I hurriedly pull my hands free. His gaze and mine bore determinedly into each other, and it becomes a silent battle of wills. I hate him and I also don't, and he seems to feel the same. We both hate each other down to our very core, and yet we care for each other, in some unexplainable way. I wouldn't call it passion, but I might call it passionate loathing. That seems to fit the situation best.

"What was that?" I hiss, letting my voice tell him how much I really do despise him.

"I suspect you know." He still stares into my unrelenting, angry gaze, but we both soften after a moment more.

"I'm sorry," slips out of my mouth before I even realize I said anything. I make a mental note to kick myself later.

"As am I."

My eyes soften a bit more, and when Hallan rests his forehead against mine with closed eyes, I let him. And after a moment, I do the same.

After what could be a decade or scarcely a moment, he pulls away and walks us both to a stone bench covered in soft moss. He picks something up from the top of an abstract stone statue next to it, and turns back to me.

"Engagements need rings, do they not?"

"Not this kind of engagement," I retort, though there isn't much bite to it.

"All the same, best to stick with tradition."

Before I can object, Hallan slides a ring onto my left hand. A glance down shows me a gold band riddled with tiny, sparkling little diamonds, laid into leaf shapes. One that's slightly larger than the rest is perched in the middle, twinkling up at me in the dim garden light. I'm caught rather off guard by how beautiful it actually is.

"Thank you." This time, I'm not quite as surprised at myself for my words.

A moment of quiet passes, and I think that maybe I ought to spell out everything for him.

"Let me just give you a fair warning. I'm way screwed up in the head, and I'll likely always be. I don't like you in the least, and I kick in my sleep sometimes. Sex isn't exactly on my bucket list and probably isn't a thing that's going to happen. Still want to go through with this? YOU can back out, after all."

Hallan quirks a corner of his mouth up as he regards me for a moment.

"I'm not marrying you because I want a perfect wife. I happen to care for you, in my way."

I stare at him like he's got three heads.

"You're just as crazy as me, aren't you?"

"Positively mad. Think of the fun we shall have together."

* * *

The months that lead up to the wedding are mercifully peaceful, as far as the war is concerned. No news of any more attacks comes, and I become more certain that this was the right thing to do after all. It seems to have stopped the war, or at least its bloody consequences. However, Nikki's steady communication with Caspian and her badgering to get me to do the same keep my heart from being entirely at peace. My consolation comes from my slow but steady progress with Hallan on the subject of the green lady. He's got his secrets, but I think I'll be able to work them from him. I wish I could say the same for Nikki...she's not telling me something.

"I still can't believe you're going to do this, chica," Nikki says to me a few days before the wedding.

"It's not all bad. Look how the war has stopped. And besides, he's not that bad. Once you get past the surface, that is."

"I know, you've told me about how much his attitude has improved. But still...I'm sorry for it, you know? Marriage works best with soul mates."

"Sometimes other things are more important," I sigh, tired of this strain of conversation. It's one we've exhausted over the past four months.

"I know that, and I'll respect it," she insists, looking up at me from her cross-legged seat on the rug in her room.

"Thanks. And I know that we're not exactly perfect for each other and all that, but it'll work well enough. And I've got you and Rhos and Ainslie too, don't forget."

"Sure thing. Well, you've got me for a little while longer at least. I'll have to go back to Cair Paravel soon to check on Cas."

"And spend a little time with your Sadrian?" I tease lightly, smiling a little impishly.

"And then there's that," is her blushing response.

"Thank you for staying this long," I whisper, smiling sincerely. "I missed you, you crazy thing."

"Right back atcha. Still, I wish we'd been a bit more productive with the whole baddie sprite mystery and whatnot. You still don't know who that sprite on Dragon Isle was, do you?"

"Actually, I've got a theory...it's not solid but it might be the case." It's anything but solid, but it's the best I can think of right now.

"Spill the beans then!"

"That lady Hallan always talked about? I just have an inkling it's her. Especially with his note about her wearing a green dress. Green's a sprite color, and, as you've noticed I'm sure, one we wear often."

"That makes a lot of sense. And I still say the 'prince' is Cas. Just saying."

"He's the King of Narnia, not the Prince of Narnia."

"I know that, but do you honestly think she was keen on calling him by his proper title? What other 'princes' could she be referring to?" Nikki crosses her arms over her chest, convinced she's right. I have to say, I'm not inclined to argue.

"Alright, fair point. But not overly helpful."

"But it's something," she points out, not smugly but matter-of-factly.

Quiet settles over us for a few moments, and then my voice speaks without my brain's permission.

"Look after him. Please." We both know who I'm talking about, even though I've tried not to talk about him at all with my wedding to Hallan coming up.

"Will do." Nikki's answer comes quickly and promises to do as I asked, but it still doesn't satisfy me, somehow.

I don't want to admit it, but I don't want Nikki to have to take care of King Caspian enough for the both of us. I want to take care of him too. And Nikki knows that. Her steady gaze tells me she does, and it asks me why I can't.

"I'm getting married in a matter of days, Nikki. I can't...I'll be a married woman. I've moved on, in a way. I have to let him do so too."

"And move on with who, chica? Who?"

I'm about to suggest Lilliandil, but Nikki interrupts me before I can even get the first syllable out.

"And we've been over Lilliandil; she's his big sis."

That manages to silence me, and I find myself studying my hands as if they're the most interesting thing in the entire world.

"He'll find someone," I finally manage to whisper, already working to convince myself it's true the minute it leaves my lips.

"Chica, what if he doesn't want to?"

"Nikki, stop, please. Don't make this harder than it has to be," I plead. I've only just gotten used to the idea of marrying Hallan. I can't think about the King of Narnia. I really, really can't, not now. Not when agreeing to marry someone else has already helped my people so much. This isn't the time to be thinking about love and wants and desires. My marriage with Hallan won't be perfect, it won't be a fairy tale, but it'll work. It'll do what it's supposed to, and it'll be tolerable. It might even grow to be pleasant; in fact, I'm sure it will, given the time to do so.

"Alright, I'm sorry. I just want what's best for you, you know," she says, and her tone tells me how much she really does care.

"I know, and I thank you for that. It's just that it's not about me or what's best for me anymore. It's about the sprites; it's about my people. Surely their lives are worth this small little sacrifice on my part."

"You are so much wiser than I'll ever be. You're right chica, and congrats on being so brave about it." Nikki stands and envelops me in a sisterly hug, and I allow myself a few tears while it lasts.

"Take care of him. Help him understand," I whisper as we both pull back slowly.

"I will. Though I think it'd be best coming from you."

I look at her curiously, though without much enthusiasm.

"What are you getting at, Nikki?"

"Come back to Cair Paravel with me, okay? Just long enough to say goodbye." She's very convincing, I'll give her that. Even I can't argue that it sounds like a good idea.

"I'll think on it," I promise, and I know I will. We both know I will.

"Good."

"It'll have to be after the wedding and all, you know."

"I know. I'll probably be leaving the day after the wedding, so come when you can. And don't take months about it, either," she teases lightly, sounding almost like she used to back in my old home.

"I'll only take a week or two," I reply with a laugh.

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." I enact this very promise as I say it.

"Oh no, let's just pinkie promise. The war isn't quite over, you know."

We both have to laugh at that, and we pinkie promise.

I get an idea then, and I resolve to go to Cair Paravel as soon as I can after the wedding. My little idea might spare the king a little pain.

* * *

"Are you ready, sister?"

"Yes and no," I answer honestly, staring at the strange image I see in the mirror of me in a white dress.

"I am sorry-"

"Don't be. It's not going to be nearly as bad as I first thought, I promise." At least, I'm hoping so. Hallan's been nice, by his standards, but I'm still a bit nervous that it'll go away as soon as the wedding ring slides onto my finger.

"I am happy for you, then. Are you sure you wish to walk down the aisle alone?"

"I'm sure. It's not like either of my dads are here to go with me." I don't say it bitterly, just practically. It's true, and there's nothing wrong with me going down the aisle on my own.

Ann nods her understanding and finishes adjusting my dress and hair. Once she's sure not a single hair is out of place, she places the veil over my head. It's a very simple veil: no blusher, no intricate lace or sequins or anything. It's a simple, delicate white net that barely comes to my lower back. I insisted on having things as simple as possible.

"You're ready, sister."

I nod and take one last look at myself in the mirror before following Ainslie out of my room and out into the hall. The wedding will be on the edge of the forest, and though I haven't seen the setup, I've heard that it's beautiful in the most simple of ways.

"I'm nervous, Ann," I suddenly blurt out in a panicked whisper as we approach the palace doors. My hands have turned clammy and cold, and my heart is starting to pound none too comfortably in my chest.

"You are ready for this, Laurah. You have said so yourself," she soothes, pausing for a moment to let me gather myself.

"But I'm not, I'm not...it's not him who should be at the end of the aisle," I whimper, fighting a sudden bout of tears. I can't smear my light makeup, after all.

"I know sister, I know." Ann opens her arms to a me wresting for control of herself, and I gratefully fling myself into my sister's comforting embrace.

We stay that way for a precious few seconds, and after a few dry sobs, I force myself to straighten up.

"I'm ready now, Ann. I'm sorry about that." My resolve finds me once more, and I set my jaw against another threatening round of tears trying to break free.

"No need." Ann, bless her, waits patiently until I gather myself again and my looming tears subside.

"Okay, let's go."

Ann nods at the two guards waiting to open the doors for us, and they swing the palace doors open. I take a deep breath of the fresh air flooding in from outside and walk steadily forward, refusing to look anywhere but ahead. I pause just a moment to let Ann go in front of me, and we both walk to the edge of the forest. As soon as we get there, I understand what everyone has been talking about. And I almost cry again, but this time from happiness.

An arch seemingly made only of flowers marks the beginning of the aisle I'll be walking down, and it's made of little white flowers. My little white flowers. The carved wood benches that seat the spectators are draped in the beautiful little things too, and even the aisle floor is covered in the petals.

"Where did you find so many?" I breathe out in awe.

"They do grow on their own, you know," Ann answers gently as we approach.

By now the sprites have heard our footsteps, and their heads slowly turn to watch us, and most of all me, row by row.

Ann and I stop right at the flower arch, and start forward only when the tune starts up. I can't see where the music's coming from, but I find it doesn't really matter. I'm just trying to focus on something other than the end of the aisle.

I have to gather my resolve several times as I slowly walk several large paces behind Ann, but somehow a glance at the ring already on my left hand soothes me. This isn't the end of the world, after all. It's going to work out, and it'll grow pleasant with time. I hold on to that as I take the final steps forward and stand beside Hallan. He looks handsome, but I barely notice. Mother nods reassuringly at me, and I nod ever so slightly back, letting her know to go ahead. Since she's the queen, she's going to be marrying us.

"Do you, Hallan, take this woman to be your wedded wife, to have and to told, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, 'till death do you part?"

"I do," is his steady answer as he slides the wedding band onto my finger and his hands close around mine.

"And do you, Laurah, take this man to be your wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, 'till death do you part?"

My mouth goes dry, and I look down at our joined hands and back up at Hallan's eyes.

"I do."

I'm torn between crying and smiling. I'd like to do both, but everyone will know they aren't happy tears. Against my will, my eyes water and one trickles out onto my cheek. Hallan's eyes flit to that tear, on the cheek facing the audience. One of his hands releases mine, and wipes it away under the guise of bringing my face closer to his. That hand slides down my cheek to under my chin, and tips my face up. And the vows are sealed with a kiss.

Applause breaks out, as much for hoping this action ends the war as for the actual marriage. Hallan's lips leave mine, and he wipes away another tear that leaks onto my other cheek. This one isn't entirely sad, as the applause reminds me of why this marriage is so very good indeed. And Hallan really is being quite wonderful today. It's for the best, and he's my husband now.

I realize that I don't know what to do from here, but luckily he does. We walk back down the aisle together, my arm resting in his. Everyone gets up to follow us, and Hallan leads us back to the palace, where the doors have been flung open for our arrival. I remember that the palace has a ballroom, and I figure out that we must be going there.

Hallan strokes the top of my hand with his thumb, and oddly enough it does provide the comfort it's meant to.

"I will force nothing on you tonight," he whispers against my hair.

Tears prick at my eyes as I comprehend what he means, and I smile at him for the first time today.

"Thank you. I wasn't sure if I was ready."

As soon as we enter the ballroom, we're greeted by another round of applause. Everyone who couldn't fit in the seats at the actual ceremony waited for us here, or so it seems.

"I think this was the right thing after all," I whisper, more to myself than to Hallan. But he hears anyway, and nods kindly. Kindly...it's a word I'd never have even thought about to describe him with a few months ago. He really has changed, and quite for the better.

* * *

The afternoon and evening flies by, and the only thing that really sticks is the first dance. I think Nikki must have told the musicians what tempo to play, because it's a waltz. It's a dance I know well, and it provides a link to lighter days. It keeps a smile on my face, especially when Hallan leads me in the steps. He must have learned it beforehand. Nikki did a good job keeping it a secret.

"Uneasy, princess?" My new husband's eyes drive through my own.

"Wouldn't you be, in my shoes?" I reply, though the remark comes out more weary than anything else.

"As I've said, I will force nothing on you," he whispers in my ear, sending a shiver through me when his breath tickles the skin there.

"You said nothing of persuasion," I whisper right back, before adding, "But it's not just that."

"Then what?"

Something about his tone makes me uneasy, but I manage not to show it.

I swallow down a confession regarding my feelings for the king of Narnia and answer with what I hope to be a convincing "Nothing."

Soon the sun has sunk below the treetops, but the party continues merrily on. I suspect that everyone is simply drunk on hope. Some are just plain drunk too, but not in an obnoxious way; simply an amusing way. Nikki fits right in, though she doesn't need a single drop of alcohol to spin her up. She and a group of sprites who've had a bit too many sips of wine beg the musicians to play a lively jig. It takes a good few minutes of convincing and pleading and whining and threatening, but they finally win, and Nikki pulls me right into the spirited dance.

Surprisingly, I take to it rather well, even though I don't have much, if any, experience dancing to jigs. But the music and the slightly drunk dancers whisk me along until I can't help but laugh and be just as merry as they are. Nikki even manages to get me to down a glass of wine, and then I relax and enjoy myself even more. In the end, it turns out to be quite a pleasant night.

When the sun sinks all the way and the moon takes its place in the sky, Nikki and I dash outside to dance to the now lively music under the stars. It's a good thing the ballroom is on the first floor and leads right to a grassy clearing. Eventually more people join us, Ann included. We make quite a merry bunch, and only go inside when the musicians slow the tune again.

"One more dance for the night?" Hallan asks as soon as I trail back inside after the others.

"How could I say no?" I reply, surprising myself with my ease.

Hallan leads me through a dance that's just fast enough to keep people awake at this late hour but just slow enough to be romantic, and I realize that I shouldn't have been so upset this morning. He's a good man I think, deep down. It just took a little time to bring that out.

After that dance, Hallan and I bid everyone a good night and leave the party, though we know it'll continue long into the night. Especially with Nikki to keep it going. On our way out, Ann gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, and that gives me all the courage I could ever need.

When he leads us outside, I realize that once again, I don't know where we're going. I'm about to ask this very question, but then Asha and another horse trot up. A smile spreads across my face in response, and I don't object when Hallan lifts me up onto my horse.

"Perhaps we will not have a traditional honeymoon, but time away will be good nonetheless."

"Yes, it will," I answer simply, still churning over my decision about tonight in my head. I don't know if I'm ready, but if I'm not now, when will I be?

We ride off into the forest, passing by the place the ceremony took place as we go. I stretch out my hand and pluck one of my little white flowers from the arch as we go by and tuck it into my hair. I'd all but forgotten I could grow these at will.

We ride for at least a good hour, and I grow to appreciate Asha's smooth gait after the first half of the time, especially with my dress doing nothing to facilitate the ride. The skirt continually gets in the way.

At last, we come to a small but not too small cottage, all cozy in the woods. It's built from the same stone as the castle, and has the same ivy crawling up its sides.

"Your mother came here for her honeymoon, and now she has given it to us," Hallan explains.

My stomach flip-flops several times in nervousness, but I recognize the gesture for the kind and loving thing it is.

"I'll have to thank her when we go back to the palace."

My husband nods and gesticulates to the house with an open hand.

"Shall we?"

My mouth is dry again, so I just nod. He dismounts first, and both the horses canter back the way we came after he helps me off Asha.

I take his offered arm and let him lead me inside. Instantly, I have to appreciate how cozy it is.

The floors are all made of smoothed and polished wood, and the walls have the same ivy inside that graces the outside of the cottage. A small sitting room is the first room we enter as we walk inside, and the sofas look so very comfortable. Everything is in earthy and green colors, and it feels very much like an artistic take on the surrounding forest. I have to admit, it's quite beautiful and very welcoming.

Hallan releases my arm so I can explore on my own, and I take my time. No need to rush.

The kitchen and pantry are stocked with all the food we could ever need, and they both continue the woodsy theme. The countertop edges have designs that greatly resemble celtic knots, and the wood stove has the lyrics of the sprite song written artistically into the wood.

"Suilil a Run," I whisper softly, brushing my fingertips over the lyrics reverently. It's been too long since I've sung that song with my mother and sister.

I leave the kitchen to explore the dining room, and I find a table with seats for just two in the middle of the room. The table bears similar design to the countertops in the kitchen, and I can't resist running my fingers over the flawlessly carved designs. The chairs continue the theme, and I'm surprised by how comfortable they are, even without seat cushions.

Eventually, I make my way to the single bedroom. Whether or not I decide to consummate the marriage tonight, we'll be sharing a bed. I still haven't made up my mind about that either.

Hallan's sitting on the bed when I enter, and I blush when I notice he's changed out of his wedding clothes and not bothered to put on a shirt. When he notices me looking to the side, he can't resist teasing me a bit.

"What's the matter, princess?"

"Nothing. You just...caught me off guard is all," I respond, smiling slightly at the gently-joking way he now says 'princess.'

"Ah."

"Don't believe me?"

All I get for a reply is a smirk that isn't the mocking one I'd have received a few months ago.

"I think I'm going to get out of my dress," I murmur, making a beeline for the washroom as my cheeks turn red again. I shouldn't have looked right at him again.

"Does her Highness need a hand?"

"I've already got two, thanks," I joke right back, silently thanking him for banishing my embarrassment with that bait. He knew I could come up with a non-flustered response.

I can decide about tonight once I change, I think to myself.

"I only wished to be of help," he laughs, with a slight tone of something else.

Maybe it's that something else that prompts me to change my mind.

"Get the buttons in the back then, if you would." As soon as the almost-dare leaves my lips, I know I can't take it back. Oddly enough, I think I'm alright with that. Just maybe.

I know without looking that Hallan's eyebrows shot up a little at my surprising little comment, but he stands and comes over to me without hesitation. My cheeks flame again, but I feel mostly alright with this. If not now, then when?

He makes slow work of the buttons on my dress, though I can't tell if it's from hesitation or a desire to tease me. Maybe it's both. That wouldn't be at all unlike him. Still, it makes my heart pound, and not completely with apprehension.

My mind goes back and forth, but my choice seems clear. He is my husband, after all. I suppose I'd best accept it. I have already, in a way, but part of me still holds on to my stubborn refusal that this whole thing actually happened today. Perhaps it's only to be expected; after all, it wasn't a marriage for love.

"We do not have to do anything tonight," my husband gently reminds me, and it calms me a bit.

He finishes the buttons on the back of my dress, and I stand there silently, undecided on whether to let it simply fall off my shoulders or to go inside the washroom and slip on a nightgown. Hallan waits patiently, more patiently than I thought him capable of, but I'm aware of his closeness. If I back up one step, my now-exposed back will bump into his chest.

I go back and forth, and my husband never rushes me. I'm vastly surprised at his abounding courtesy tonight, and it helps me decide a little easier.

'If not now, then when?' rings back and forth in my head, and I feel ready to accept Hallan as my husband in every way, and yet I don't. I want to wait, but I know that if I refuse this now, I'm unlikely to agree in the forseeable future.

He lays a gentle hand on my shoulder and brushes my hair to the side, and I feel no inclination to stop him.

So I don't. And the next morning when I wake up, I find that I don't regret it.

* * *

**I know, I know. I know you all want to wring my sorry excuse for a neck, but I promise you've got a little something to look forward too soon! I'm not completely cruel! I love you all too much to rip out your hearts ****entirely ;)****  
**

**Guest - Dang, that's a really really good guess about the bracelet! I love seeing that you're thinking about this! Wonderful guesses, and they'll be answered in due time ;)  
Oooo, that bit about Caspian showing up unexpectedly is a good idea! I'm a bit tempted to go back and use it...hey wait, I can! In a roundabout way...Thank you! That bunny will show up in a few chapters! ;D  
True love's kiss? Awww, that'd be so sweet...**

**Please let me know your thoughts so far! I absolutely love hearing from you! ;)**


	11. Chapter 10

**Wow! After last chapter's reviews, I'm just too anxious to hear from you wonderful wonderful readers again that I can't wait until tomorrow to post this! So all you waiting eagerly for an update got your wish ;)**

**A million and bajillion thank yous to Evy201, joycelyn. , and Guest for their awesome reviews! Honestly, you three made me shriek and happy dance! In the middle of my dorm! Haha you're just the best readers I ever could have asked for! And all you anonymous readers too, thank you for even just reading! I see y'all in my stats page ;) Virtual chocolate frosting all around!**

**Enjoy this next chapter, everyone! **

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**Laurah POV:**

The next morning, I rise early and explain to my husband that I have to return to the palace just for a little bit to see Nikki off. He tells me to hurry back, and I grin teasingly. I know exactly why he wants me to hurry back. But I credit him for not putting up a fuss about me leaving, and I don't object when he gives me a long and lingering kiss goodbye.

Asha must have known I'd want to go back today, because she's waiting for me as soon as I step out the front door.

"Good morning, beautiful girl," I greet her, and she tosses her forelock, as if to say 'I know it.'

I shake my head lovingly at her and mount up quickly. Nikki isn't an early riser, so I've got a bit of time at least.

Still, Asha makes it to the palace in record time.

Everyone looks surprised to see me back so soon, but I brush it off. They'll see that all is well when I leave again after Nikki does.

Asha nickers her promise to wait for me when I dismount and go inside the palace to look for my best friend. Not surprisingly, she's still dead to the world in bed, even though it's getting to be past nine.

"Good morning, Nikki," I call, standing back a safe ways just in case she swats an arm in the direction of my voice. She once gave her mother a black eye, and I have no desire to have it happen to me.

"Ungh." She groans and wakes up halfway, only to nod off again and start snoring.

"Breakfast?" I try tentatively. Sometimes that's enough to get her up, but it doesn't look like that's going to work today. She must have stayed up really late partying. I wouldn't put it past her; she can be a bit a party animal.

"Urgsheflaffil!" is her unenthusiastic response.

Any other day, I'd let her sleep. But I know she has a three day ride back to Cair Paravel, and she should probably get started before three o'clock in the afternoon.

So I do the classic pulling-the-sheets-from-the-bed move, and leap out of the way when she kicks the air inches from my stomach.

"Upsy daisy!" I call cheerily.

"What?!" she finally snaps, uncurling herself from her tight little ball.

"Nice to see you too," I droll.

"Oh, hi chica. How goes it?"

"Well, thanks. Now you'd best get up, if you want to be on your way before evening."

"It's too early!"

"If I let you sleep, you're likely to sleep most of the daylight away."

After a long few minutes of unintelligible grumbling on her part, Nikki finally growls her assent and rolls out of bed. Without tangled sheets to catch her, she hits the floor with an unpleasant sounding thud, and I have to swallow an amused snort.

"Awake yet?" I call sweetly.

"Yes Mum, thank you ever so much." Nikki suddenly bolts upright and stares at me. "Hey, what're you doing here? Aren't you away on honeymoon?"

"I came to see you off, silly."

"Ew, that bad huh?"

"Not bad at all actually, but I thought it'd be horribly rude of me to let you leave without a proper goodbye.

"You'll be following my trail in a few days, and since you're on honeymoon you're excused."

"A simple thank you will suffice, Nikki," I reply with a roll of my eyes.

"Point taken. Alright, lemme get dressed and then I'll join ya for breakfast."

"Don't get sleepwalk the way," I laugh as I close the door behind me.

* * *

"You'd better come along soon, ya hear?" Nikki tells me imperiously after giving her grudging acceptance of my one condition for going to Cair Paravel. Well, it was more like conceding to my immovable stubbornness after repeatedly telling me in the most animated manner of my idiocy.

"Yes, Nikki," I reply as I give her a leg up onto her horse that Asha was kind enough to fetch for us.

"Alright, I'm done," she laughs. "Try not to miss me too much."

My lips quirk upwards in reply. "You know I will. Go on now."

"Alrighty. I've felt a bit odd here anyhow."

Her comment almost slips my notice, but I hear it with a jolt and store it away for later.

"Ride safe now, you crazy thing."

"Always do. Bye Laurah, and bye Ainslie!" she says with a cheery wave. Then with a nudge of her heels, her horse trots off down the street, and we both wave until she vanishes from sight.

"She was exactly as you described her, sister," Ann laughs lightly as she lowers her arm from waving.

"Are you sure she wasn't crazier?"

"Perhaps."

My sister and I both laugh, and then she sombers.

"How are you, sister?"

"Surprisingly, I'm quite well. It's working out, Ann, it really is." A contented smile works its way onto my face as I say those very true words.

"I am glad for it," she answers sincerely. "Now I won't keep you any longer. Go on now." Ainslie makes a shooing motion with her hands, and I have to laugh and obey.

"Give Mother my best, and tell her she was right."

"I will."

I wave my goodbye to my sister, and she waves too, a bit more gracefully than me. I ride back to the cottage in no time at all, and I realize that I'm actually looking forward to seeing my husband again. Last night proved my hope that things would work out pleasantly quite right. Everything was gentle and caring, and I'm feeling better about this marriage than I have in a while. Given time, Hallan and I will grow to care for each other quite a bit I think. We already care in fact, though I suspect he cares for me more than I do for him, at this point in time. But time is all we need, both of us. It could work out even better than I anticipated.

When I arrive back at the pleasant little cottage, Hallan's waiting for me at the door. Luckily for my composure, he's fully dressed. I still get rather embarrassed if he isn't in at least pants and a shirt. I dismount as soon as I'm close enough, and give Asha a quick kiss on the muzzle before she canters off. Hallan greets me with a warm hug and even a kiss, and I don't pull away when he picks me up and carries me back inside.

* * *

After a relaxing and even blissful week in the cottage, my husband and I return to the palace to resume our normal lives. At first there's a slight question over whose room we'll sleep in, but in the end we decide on his. It just makes more sense for me to move in with him, as I'm the wife and that's generally how it's done. Granted, this isn't a conventional situation, but it still seems like the sensible thing to do.

I remember that Nikki's expecting me in a matter of days, and I remind Mother, Ann, and Hallan about the trip, though I tell them it's just for a visit with Nikki and so I can meet her Sadrian. No need to tell them that I'll also be likely to run across King Caspian, especially since there can't be anything between us now. There's no danger, and there's no need to worry any of them. Still, Mother's hesitant to let me go. I manage to convince her in the end, but she never really gives me her blessing.

But Ainslie is much more agreeable to the idea, and she even helps me pack. She knows about my one condition, and she helps me plan for that accordingly. I don't bring any gowns that would give away my status as princess. Hallan looks at me curiously when I insist on bringing a hooded cloak when it's the end of spring and the beginning of summer, but I explain it away as just in case I meet someone unsavory in the woods.

By the time I'm all packed and ready to go, it's been a good week and a half since Nikki's left. Still, I delay my departure for another few days in the interest of spending a little extra time with Mother, Ann, and especially my husband. I don't know how long I'll be gone, so I want a few more days with them. When I finally decide to leave, it's been over two weeks since Nikki left. She's sure to give me an earful about taking this long, but she'll get over it. As she herself said, I'm allowed a little extra leeway; I just got married.

It's early in the morning when I finally set out, and I depart as discreetly as possible so as not to raise any questions or concerns, or worst of all rumors. I give Mother and Ann short and sweet goodbyes, but Hallan delays me as much as he can, using the excuse that he's going to miss me too much. I laugh teasingly, but I believe him. He seems almost like a different man now that we're husband and wife. After letting him steal his tenth goodbye kiss, I mount Asha and ride off into the forest, trusting her to know the way to Cair Paravel. Mother assured me she did.

I fully appreciate the trouble Nikki took to come and find the sprites over the long three-day journey to Cair Paravel. There are no real roads leading to us, so it's really something of a miracle she found us at all. Of course, she confessed to following a returning band of sprites, so that might explain her luck. Several times I'm convinced we're hopelessly lost, but Asha holds true, and sure enough, on the third day we leave the woods and see Cair Paravel in the distance.

I can't resist taking a moment to admire it; it's really a breathtaking castle. King Caspian did quite well, especially if this is only a restoration as I've heard. Asha shifts impatiently beneath me, so I let her trot forward. At first, I'm sure we'll make it to the castle today even though it's late afternoon, but the plain leading up the island proves to be much larger than it looks at first glance. We'd have made it if I asked Asha to gallop, but honestly I'm in no hurry. Asha and I sleep in the soft grass that night and continue on in the morning. It's always better to arrive in the morning and early afternoon than the evening anyway.

"Well Asha, good job. You really did know the way here," I praise her as she trots steadily across the main bridge leading to the island Cair Paravel sits on.

She tosses her head in an 'I told you so' sort of gesture, and I have to laugh at her sass. She's always been gentle but spirited, she has.

Even though I've technically been here before, I stare at the quaint little village in front of Cair Paravel with an awed stranger's eyes. I ran through it too quickly to really appreciate it or even see it when the _Dawn Treader_ made port all those months ago. Has it really been seven or eight months since then?

I'm about let Asha trot right up to the castle gates, but I remember my plan and realize I'll have to go the rest of the way on foot. I hope Nikki told the centaur guards what I'll look like, otherwise I'll never get in.

I tell Asha to stop, and dismount as soon as she does.

"I've got to go on from here alone, okay? Thank you for bringing me here, Asha."

She snorts indignantly, but relents when I quietly remind her in a whisper of my condition for coming here. She even stands mercifully still while I retrieve my two bags from her hindquarters, and I hurriedly fish out the cloak and pull the hood over my head until my face is hidden almost completely. I really wish this didn't look so suspicious, but it's necessary for this to work. I can't be known as myself here. I'm determined that King Caspian not know that it's me.

Once I have everything, I give Asha a quick kiss on the muzzle as a goodbye, and she trots back off toward the forest. I give my hood one last tug to make sure my face isn't recognizable and turn to walk toward the castle. I have to take a moment to muster my courage and remind myself to lower my voice, but just as I'm about to walk forward, my ears pick up the familiar sound of my best friend laughing. As discreetly and nonchalantly as I can, I turn around until I find her in the crowd. The village isn't big, but it's well-populated. She seems to be laughing at something Sadrian said, since they're holding hands and being rather adorable.

My dream on the _Dawn Treader_ comes back to me, but I brush it away. It doesn't matter now. Still, I wish I'd known that at the time...I mistook it for a vision._  
_

Pulling myself from my thoughts, I lift my head just a bit and wait for Nikki to get closer. She's walking this way anyhow; I don't have to wait long. At first, she doesn't notice me, and I mentally pat myself on the back for blending in, but I know I'll have to get her attention if I want to get past the guards. I'm positive they won't let some hooded stranger through without a question. So I quietly clear my throat, hoping she'll hear it over the hum of the many people walking past.

To my everlasting luck, she does, and immediately notices me.

"Ah, there ya are! I was beginning to wonder," she calls as she skips over, tugging Sadrian along with her.

"I apologize for the wait; I was delayed," I reply, remembering to keep my voice a pitch lower than usual. It does the trick; Sadrian obviously has no clue who I am, and if I can fool him I can most likely fool King Caspian as well.

"No probs, the important thing is that you made it. And you survived the forest too!"

"I live in the forest, I should think I could survive a three-day ride," I chuckle, almost forgetting to keep my voice in its low pitch.

"Glad to hear it. Well come on then, let's go inside the castle!" she chirps, linking her free arm through mine.

"I beg your pardon, Nikki, but this is...?"

"Oh, right, introductions! Nearly slipped my mind. MopMan, this is..." Nikki suddenly trails off, and I realize we never came up with an alternate name for me.

"Eva," I hurriedly fill in, spouting the first name that comes to mind.

"And Eva, this is MopMan. Well, his actual name is Sadrian, but I call him MopMan," she says as we all walk toward Cair Paravel's gates.

"Pleasure," I reply, politely nodding in Sadrian's direction.

He clearly doesn't trust me entirely, but it's because of how I have my face covered, in the middle of summer. I'll admit it's a little sketchy looking, but I could come up with no practical alternative. Even if they had plastic surgery in Narnia, I'd never be able to stomach the thought of getting my face redone.

I expect the centaurs standing guard at the gates to stop me, but they seem alright with letting all three of us past. I guess my assumption that Nikki could get me through was right.

My stomach does several flips when Sadrian pulls open one of the double doors for Nikki and I, and I secretly pray that King Caspian isn't standing in the foyer waiting for us. There may be no chance for anything to happen between us, but I still don't entirely trust myself to keep up my new persona under pressure.

"So I already cleared your little visit with Cas, and there's a room all set up for ya. Has a forest view too, so I hope you like that," Nikki babbles, most likely to spare me from any questions Sadrian might want to ask.

"Wonderful," is all I answer, again having to remind myself to change my voice pitch.

Nikki prattles on and on as we wind our way through the beautiful halls of Cair Paravel, and at last we get to the room she says is mine as long as I stay here. Luckily, it's not on the same hall as the king's, but it's rather close to hers. Thank heavens; I'll have to remember to thank her for her foresight when it's just the two of us.

"Well, here we are! We'll leave you to get settled in, and I'll drop by a little bit before dinner, mmkay?" With a cheery, if a bit overdone, wave, Nikki steers Sadrian away and leaves me to my own devices.

As soon as they continue on down the hallway, I close the door and let out a sigh of relief. I don't know how I'm going to manage to keep this up, especially since wearing a hooded cloak 24/7 isn't going to go over too well. But where there's a will there's a way, and I sit down and remind myself of all the reasons I insisted on this.

I don't want to face King Caspian as myself. That's probably my biggest reason, especially since I suspect I'm not completely past him yet. I don't want to have to see his face when I tell him I'm married. I don't want to have to tell him as myself, at least. Under the freedom of a false identity, I can pretend ignorance and be free of any questions as to why I left. Explaining that dream isn't exactly on my bucket list, especially now that it looks as if it really was just a dream, and nothing more. I acted rather foolishly, but I know it's turned out for the best. It led me to Hallan, and were it not for our marriage, the war would still be raging on. Yes, it was all for the best, but I don't have it in me to explain all that to King Caspian just yet. Maybe someday I'll find the courage, but that day just isn't today.

I remind myself it's also to spare his feelings. How would he feel if I showed up here and his hopes rose accordingly only to have them dashed once again when he found out I was now a married woman? It'd be worse than if I never spoke to him again, even if I explained everything to him. And I have to take every care that he doesn't figure out its me for that very reason. I'm sparing both of us with this, and just like my flight, it'll turn out for the best. He'll realize I can't ever come back to him and he'll be able to move on without suffering the depth of heartbreak he'd suffer if I was here as myself. He deserves to know, but at least I can perhaps spare him a little pain, and dig a bit to find out who's been trying to kill him at the same time. It really is all for the best.

And I believe that wholeheartedly. I have to.

Now that my resolve has been built up again, I rise from my seat on the windowsill and change out of my traveling dress and into something a little nicer. I hope I won't have to join the king for dinner, but if I must, I better be ready. And showing up in a dress with the dust of the road and grass stains on it does not count as ready.

Once I'm dressed in something decent, I don my hooded cloak again, just in case someone comes in without any warning. I can't take any chances, especially because this isn't just about my feelings.

All of a sudden, an idea hits me, and I don't stop to think on it. I only rush to the desk provided in my room and begin writing out the letter that's just popped into my head with all the care I can manage in the midst of my frantic scribbling. The letter ends up being much, much longer than I anticipated, but simply getting this down on paper fills me with something akin to relief. Even if I can't say all this, can't explain it in this way to the king, it's a pleasant kind of release to write it as if he might read it someday. When I finish the pages long letter, I fold it up and tuck it away in my things. I can burn it when I get home.

Thankfully, I end up having a good several hours to relax and mentally prepare for seeing the king again. It really shouldn't matter so much, but since it does, the best I can do is keep myself under control. I pace so much that I begin to worry I'll wear right through this rug at the end of the bed, so I walk to a piece of bare floor and continue my pacing there. The pacing helps me stay calm, oddly enough. I've never really been a pacer, but it's working out for me right now, even if the floor and the bottoms of my shoes might think otherwise. That's alright, they can't complain out loud.

Just when I'm sure the floor will reach up and grab my ankles to stop my pacing, Nikki bursts into the room.

"Well, that went well, don'tcha think?"

"SHH! Would you at least close the door?" I hiss, immediately donning my lower timbre voice.

Nikki huffs impatiently, but she does as I ask.

"Alright chica, now let's go over the rest of today. Dinner's at seven, so we've got a little over an hour to make your face unrecognizable. I do hope you brought a schlew of makeup, cuz we're going to need every last drop of it."

"Wait, what?" I choke out. She can't seriously mean I'm going anywhere without my hooded cloak. That would be so many levels of insane I can't even describe it. Then again...Nikki is kind of insane.

"You can't go around in that cloak 24/7! You'll be mistaken for the Grim Reaper, silly goose!"

"But without it-"

"The longer we waste arguing about this, the less time we have to transform you! Now I told MopMan that you wore a hood because you have a scar on your face, so we'll have to draw that-"

"Then can't I keep the hood on under that pretense?" I plead. She's really and truly mental if she thinks we can make me unrecognizable with only makeup and less than an hour!

"Walk in with the hood if you like, but I can guarantee Cas'll make it impossible to keep it on without revealing the real reason you refuse to take it off. He'll insist that a facial scar means nothing and that you're among friends and have no need to be afraid, etcetera. So you'd be wise to trust me on this."

"I'm not walking in without it," I mutter defiantly.

"Just be prepared to walk out without it, 'kay?"

"Fine. Well, I guess we'd best get to work if I'm to be ready by seven."

"My thoughts exactly. Now, bust out every last drop of makeup you've brought, and I can fish out some more from around the castle if we need more."

* * *

**Nikki POV:**

By the time we finish doing her up, I have to admit, Laurah looks pretty much nothing like herself. The only thing Cas might recognize is her eyes, because the Narnians don't really make contacts. But hopefully the rest is enough to throw him off. Well, if it were up to me Laurah wouldn't be putting on this charade at all, but it was the only way I could convince her to come here, so I'm just rollin' with it. I haven't really got a choice, anyway. That chica has a stubborn streak several light years wide. Of course, she got it from her mother. That queen wouldn't talk one peep for all my efforts.

"There. Have a look," I tell her, steering my crazy chica toward the big mirror that's on the inside of her wardrobe door.

"Oh my gosh Nikki, you might not be as mental as I hitherto thought."

"Told ya 'twas possible. Personally, I think that scar is the best part." It is, too. It does at least half the job for us. We've made her skin about three shades darker than usual, made her cheekbones more prominent, drawn her poofier lips, bushed up her eyebrows, and made her eyes look a bit narrower, but the scar that stretches from her hairline, over her eye, and down to the corner of her mouth really makes her look like a whole other person. Which is what we were going for, so it's fantastic. Even I'm impressed.

"I admit, this might just do the trick. But I'm still wearing that cloak," she stubbornly insists. Impossible thing.

"Like I said, feel free. Just be ready to be backed into taking it off, yes?"

Man, I really really wish she hadn't decided to go about things like this. I don't like it one bit, but I guess the important part is that she's here at the Cair. SHe'll come clean eventually; I'll see to that myself.

"Sure. But you will take my side, at least to put it off a little?"

"Up to the point that it'd look suspicious, yeah, sure. Ready?" I chirp out, noting the time of seven o'clock on the dot with satisfaction and a trifle of nervousness.

"Not really no," Laurah confesses, and she twirls the rings on her left hand furiously.

"Tough. Let's go," I cheep as cheerily and bossily as I can. Heaven knows that if I don't get her out of this room now, she'll hole up in here like a hermit until she leaves. Sorta like I'll sleep til late afternoon if given the chance.

"I don't know whether to hate you or thank you for this," grumbles my new friend Eva, from the shelter of her hood.

"Decide after dinner, just don't barge into my room at 5am to tell me. Come on now chica, it's off to dinner we go!" With that, I tug Laur- Eva from the room and through the halls until we get to the dining room door.

Unsurprisingly, she digs in her heels ferociously as soon as we're about to open the doors.

"I'm not ready for this yet! Maybe tomorrow?"

"Come on now, bucker up. I'll look after ya, and you'll be fine. Pinkie promise."

"I hate you." But she lifts her pinkie, and we shake on it.

"Naw ya don't."

"...Alright. I love you Nikki, but I am in no way bound to particularly LIKE you right now."

I chuckle merrily at that, because it's true. That chica can be so funny when she wants to be. I haven't quite managed to get my giggles under control when I ease open the door, but the giggles turn into a growl when Laurah tries to make a run for it. She's gotten quite a bit stronger now that she's all filled out again, and she jerks us both backwards with a force I'd admire were it not so utterly contrary to my goals at this particular moment.

"Ah, Nikki. We were just beginning to wonder," Cas greets me.

"Hiya! Erm...sorry I'm - we're - late," I reply, my cheeriness sounding a wee bit fake.

At Caspian's confused look, I clear my throat and give Laurah an almighty yank in this direction. It works, but all too well. She ends up crashing into my back and sending us both flying forward, and I swear it's only by the grace of Aslan alone that we don't do a face-plant on the table.

Upon realizing our sudden and oh so graceful entrance, Laurah - well, Eva - lets out a squeak and springs back, though not without checking that her hood's intact. Personally, I let out a very loud and raucous laugh because that entrance was just too priceless. Oh how I'll tease her for it later! That chica will never hear the end of it, I tell you! Not to mention that this slight fakeness on my part should do the trick for raising Caspian's suspicions.

As for Caspian, Lilliandil, Trumpkin (who's joining us for the first time in a while), and Professor Cornelius, well, they all look to be some mix of perplexed, amused, and curious. I'm willing to bet money that Caspian's carrying the brunt of the last one, if his face is any sign.

"Well, here we are! If you didn't notice us stumbling in, that is."

"I think it was rather hard to miss," Trumpkin drawls in his curious little accent.

"I know right?" I reply shrilly, milking the comedy for all it's worth. We'll need every ounce of it we can get, I'm sure. Especially if we want to avoid as many questions as possible. Which I've got a sneaking suspicion Eva does. And yet, a lack of questions can work just as well in my favor.

"And who is this with you, Nikki?" asks Lilliandil in her sweet and gentle way.

"This? Oh this is Eva, the guest I told you that'd be coming for a little bit?"

"A sprite, I presume?" Caspian fills in.

"Oh you noticed the green hair! Yep, one honest to goodness sprite, right here in the dining room of Cair Paravel!"

"Overdoing it much?" a lower pitch of Laurah's voice mutters in my ear, and I fight a serious attack of the giggles. This whole thing is just too funny, and Caspian, Lilliandil, Trumpkin, and the Professor's ignorance of the situation only makes it all the more hilarious.

The snort that explodes from my very amused little self only makes the threat of the giggles that much worse, especially with the very odd looks the unladylike sound prompts.

"Is everything alright, Nikki?" the Professor asks, and it's just innocent and concerned enough to set my giggles loose.

Even Laurah seems to be at a loss when they break free, and I grab onto the table to keep myself from toppling over completely. Man, they must all think I'm so punch-drunk by now. I am drunk, but it's just on jitters. Heehee just like the jitterbug!

"I should teach y'all the jitterbug!" I shriek out in the middle of my giggle-fit.

When I finally quiet down, the atmosphere is decidedly less tense than before, and even Laurah, now Eva, seems to be more at least than before.

"So, peeps, shall we start supper?"

* * *

**QUESTION: How do you all like the chapter lengths? Sometimes I feel like too much happens in them and they're too long, so I'd really like to hear what you lovely peeps think of that. Shoot me a PM or tack it onto a review, either one's good :) Haha if you've got my email or facebook or phone number or something, you can let me know that way too, but I'm 99% sure that anyone reading this doesn't know that info XD If you do...how did you get it? XD**

**Guest - You're pretty on the ball there, dear! ;D Now if Laurah's being controlled as you've suggested, what about Nikki? Could something fishy be going on there?  
I just love seeing you think through this! Thank you so much for the compliments, they made my entire week! :D I updated early just for you ;)**

**And please let me know what you thought of this new (and early) chapter! Can any of you sense any upcoming C/L moments? ;D I look forward to hearing from as many of you as can leave feedback!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Once again, such wonderful reviews! I don't know what I'd do without y'alls marvelous comments! So naturally, thank you so very much to Guest, joycelyn. , and Evy201 for reviewing! You're all so fantastic about leaving a review for every chapter, and I appreciate it more than I can say! And this chapter's a bit longer than normal as a small thank you ;)**

**And on a totally random note, I got a totally awesome plot bunny today for a completely unrelated story that I'm most likely going to do for this year's NaNo! And I'm super excited about that plus hyper from my mocha frappucchino earlier in the day, so the point is...I'm hyper! XD**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Laurah POV:**

Once Nikki finishes her fit of hysterics, I can't help but relax. My heart remains in overdrive, but it's bearable, and I'm not about to bolt out the door and empty my stomach of this morning's breakfast.

"Now that all seems to be in order, may we inquire as to your name?"

"Eva." I manage to keep my voice steady and in character as I answer the king, and Nikki discreetly squeezes my hand as both a 'congrats' and a 'you got this.'

"Welcome, Eva. Please, sit," Lilliandil invites, and I edge my way forward until I reach the table.

Needless to say, I take the seat next to Nikki. And I keep my hood up. It attracts a few curious glances, but we've got a cover story and I've got enough makeup on my face to sink the _Dawn Treader_, so a few curious stares are fine.

Unsurprisingly, dinner's a bit...well, awkward. It's never easy being the new kid on the block, and no one other than Nikki really knows what to do with me. I answer any question with the shortest possible answers, hoping to avoid being a thriving part of conversation. It works, in a way. Nikki keeps the layer of ice thin though, bless her, and I think she's the only reason I'm spared a barrage of questions. Not from Lilliandil or King Caspian of course - they're far too polite, but Trumpkin clearly distrusts me. I know it's the hood, but I'm not about to take it off. Take as few chances as possible, right?

"So, Eva, I understand you're a sprite?" the red dwarf asks, eyeing me closely.

"Yes. I had thought my hair would give me away."

"I'm afraid we can't see much of it," he replies, looking at my hood none too subtly.

I don't answer, because I don't have to. A duck of my head is my only sign that I even heard him. What does one even say to a comment like that?

"Now Trumpkin, I'm sure she has a very good reason," the king, bless him, says to the dwarf, though it placates him little.

"Do you?" is the dwarf's immediate question.

I can't help but fidget slightly under his challenging gaze. I understand suspicion, but surely they know Nikki wouldn't bring anyone inside the castle whom she wasn't absolutely sure could be trusted.

"I do."

"Not to seem rude, my dear, but I believe I speak for all of us when I say that your cloak has us all very curious indeed," says an old man with a long beard. I think Nikki said he's Professor Cornelius, and he matches Caspian's description.

"I am sorry for it," I mumble, biting my tongue to keep from babbling. The professor is much easier to let my guard down around than Trumpkin.

"No need." The king reassures me with the same abounding kindness that made me fall for him before.

I nod a simple thanks and return to my meal.

Needless to say, I almost sag with relief when dinner's finally over. And my hood stays up the entire time.

* * *

"Nikki, I swear, if we weren't best friends I'd be horribly tempted to throw you out the window," I grumble, my new habit of pacing taking a furious hold.

"Hey, you never had to take your hood off, so be thankful it went that well at least!" she grouses right back.

"If that went well, I'd hate to see a dinner that goes badly."

"You know, it might've helped if you answered a bit more openly."

"Oh right, because this is all about being open and honest."

"Point taken. Alright, alright. How about we just go to bed and sleep off the first-day jitters? We'll be better tomorrow."

"Just don't break out into hysterics the next time, please."

"It was funny! I couldn't help it!"

"Funny to you, maybe. I personally almost threw up I was so scared!"

"Ah Eva, you must learn to live life on the wild side!" Nikki spreads her trademark smile across her face, knowing full well that I'll be unable to resist joining her.

Sure enough, a smile cracks my serious, makeup-covered face, and I relent.

"Point taken. Now, should we leave the makeup on for the night?"

"Chica, if you intend to leave that much makeup on, I pray for your sanity. Your poor face is going to suffocate!"

"But suppose one of the maids comes to wake me up?"

"Then bury your head under the covers. Here, let's just wash everything off but the scar. We can touch it up every day, and it'll be better than having to redraw it. We want it to be consistent."

"Good idea."

We make relatively quick work of the mask of makeup, and when my face is clean - except for the drawn scar - I almost look like me again.

"If you weren't married, I'd rail at you for missing your chance, you know," Nikki muses as I get into my nightgown.

"Thank you ever so much, really. That helps a lot." My reply is practically dripping with sarcasm. I've really had just about enough of the mention of Caspian the Tenth, King of Narnia.

"Glad it does."

An unusually tense silence places itself in between us, and I figure out that maybe I shouldn't have responded so shortly. It's not her fault, after all. Well, she does keep bringing him up, but it's just because she wanted us to 'get together' so much during the voyage. And now that it's clearly an impossibility, she's just having trouble adjusting to the notion.

"I'm sorry."

Instantly, the tension breaks and Nikki's back to Nikki.

"Hakuna matata. I think we're both just bushed. See ya in the morning, chica!" With a hug for a goodnight, Nikki then leaves, and I fall back onto my bed.

I'm asleep before my head even hits the pillow.

Unfortunately for me, my mind has other plans, and I end up jerking awake in the middle of the night after a worrisome dream about my human mom. Normally, I'd stumble down to the palace gardens, but I'm more than a little hesitant to set foot outside my room, even in the dead of night. But still, I really want the comfort of flowers and plants. Maybe I'll even find a free patch of earth, and I can grow one of my flowers.

The idea is much too tempting to ignore, and I slide out of bed to go do just that. I almost forget my cloak, but a look in the mirror reminds me. I'm not Laurah, not here. Only when my face is safely covered by my hood do I step into the hallway.

Mercifully, I don't meet anyone in my search for the castle garden, and it doesn't take me too long to find it. Again, Nikki planned perfectly; it ends up being quite close to the hall where my room is situated. My only fear is running into someone in there, but a cursory glance shows me no one. Tentatively, I step inside, ready to turn on my heel and walk briskly away if I see anyone, or even think I do. Still, even with my sprite eyesight, I can pick up no traces of anything. So I let my guard down and walk easily along the paths.

The garden is more like the traditional, conventional sort, with tame and cultivated flowers rather than wild things, but it's still nice. My ears pick up the sound of trickling water, and after a few moments I come to a fountain much like the one in Coriakin's garden. I'm just about to go up and let the water trickle over my fingers for a moment when I suddenly hear footsteps. Soft and slow footsteps, but I still don't want to be seen. So I dive behind a flowering bush and wait.

I thank my lucky stars I hid when I did, because a tall and lean figure comes into view not moments after I'm hidden. I have to bite my lip to keep in a whooshing sigh of relief, especially when I recognize who it is. The king himself, and none other than.

My hand finds a small patch of clear earth just under the edge of the bush I'm behind, and I can't resist growing one of my flowers there. It gives me the comfort I seek, and I focus on making my breathing as silent as the night itself. My efforts are rewarded by my escape from notice. Then again, King Caspian looks to be in a rather pensive mood. The slight slouch of his back gives that much away. The good news is that his back is actually to me, so I can quite easily sneak back out onto the path and pad silently away. I'll likely make an involuntary noise if I walk on the earth, so the path really is the better option.

Praying he remains facing the other way, I creep back out from behind the bush, looking to my little flower for a dose of courage and determination. Once I have it, I stand and begin tiptoeing my way back toward the door, hoping there isn't a random twig in my path that'll give me away. Knowing my luck, there probably is, so I tread carefully. Unfortunately for me, this means that my pace is painstakingly slow, and I find myself holding my breath.

"Who's there?" the king suddenly asks, and I resist the urge to swear.

I don't know if he's heard me or seen me, but either way...I'm screwed. I remind myself to keep my voice pitched low and slowly turn around to face him. To my eternal shock, his back is still to me. He must have heard me. But I was so careful not to make a sound.

"I apologize Your Majesty, I did not wish to disturb you," I whisper, my voice failing me from nervousness.

"Ah, Eva." His tone is neither overly pleasant nor unpleasant; it's simply neutral.

I can't tell if he's angry or on edge or just doesn't care, and it sets my hair on end. I have to bite my tongue to keep from bursting out into a list of excuses for being here.

"Trouble sleeping?"

"Well...I...yes," I finally admit, almost forgetting to keep my voice in character through my frazzled state of mind. I should have known to just stay in my room.

"It's alright, I am far from angry," assures the more kind-sounding man.

"Still, I am sorry for disturbing you. I'll leave you be, Your Majesty." I'm hoping I can make my escape then, but I'm sorely disappointed.

"Wait, please?"

"Your Majesty?" I question, my voice shaking just the tiniest bit and betraying my fear.

"I wonder, could you perhaps tell me about the sprites?"

"Your Majesty does not know of us?"

"No no, I meant to please tell me of recent events."

"Oh. Well...I am sure Your Majesty knows of the war that so recently plagued us."

"And how does it fare?"

"Well, very well indeed. It is thought that perhaps it is drawing to a close now, if it is not already over."

"I heard no news of a peace," he answers, confusion painting his voice.

"A most recent marriage has stopped the bloodshed, and peace seems near."

"A marriage? How fortunate," King Caspian murmurs, his tone now unrecognizable.

"Yes, between one of the enemy leaders and the second-born princess."

Instantly, a fog settles over the king, and I know he's guessed which princess I'm talking about. But he clears his throat and continues as neutrally as ever.

"The Princess Ainslie?"

"No, Majesty. The Princess Laurah."

"Is she happy?"

I can't stop my heart from breaking a little at how sad and even vulnerable King Caspian sounds in that simple question.

"I...I believe so, Majesty. At least, she appears to be so."

"I am glad for it," he murmurs, bringing sudden tears to my eyes.

I don't say anything after that, and I'm hoping very much that I can leave now. I'm not sure if I can keep myself in character for too much longer.

"Good night, Your Majesty." I dip into a curtsy and turn to go.

"Please, just Caspian."

I don't acquiesce, but I don't object either. Let him figure out if I'll do as he says or not. I just walk away silently, very much looking forward to the safety of my room. Still, I don't sleep much better than before.

* * *

**Caspian POV (3rd):**

As soon as the new guest in Cair Paravel leaves the garden, the king turns to curiously regard the bush he knows she crept from. The sprite Eva certainly had a gift for silence; her attempt at escape made no sound at all. However, the shadows had fallen just so, and Caspian had noticed the change when she moved from her hiding place. Had she not moved, he'd never have noticed her presence, but she gave herself away in her flight.

Something was not quite right with the visiting sprite. Caspian couldn't quite put his finger on what was precisely the wrong, but something was not entirely right. Though he had treated her with nothing less than his usual polite kindness at dinner in the face of questions that clearly unsettled her, the king of Narnia could not deny that his curiosity was piqued.

Nikki's behavior had been more than odd, even for her, and something about the Lady Eva's voice reminded him very much of another sprite's, one he wished he could refrain from thinking of every day without fail. Particularly after the latest news regarding her.

Married?

Caspian briefly manages to steer his thoughts away from melancholy with the sudden realization that Nikki had said nothing to him. Yet she had spent months with the sprites; there was no way she had not known. Perhaps that explained her strange behavior?

No, it had only been rather recently that it had developed.

Fighting with sadness and anger, Caspian finds that his tired feet have carried him to Eva's hiding bush, and he is a bit too tired and a bit too upset to care. However, all that gives way to an odd flickering of hope and confusion in his chest as something very tiny peeks out from the shelter of the lowest branches of the bush. Bending down to investigate the achingly familiar sight, Caspian's fingers close around the paper-thin stem and pluck up the little white flower.

With a great effort on his part, the king reminds himself that all sprites are gifted with growing plants at will. Still, the more hopeful piece of his mind insists that only Laurah grows that particular little white flower.

And as he stares at the flower he holds, Caspian begins to suspect.

* * *

**Nikki POV:**

Happily, a good night's rest improves my mood from last night, and I wake up at the bright and early hour of eleven o'clock in the morning. I'd sleep til noon, but Caspian's gone and been a rat and told one of the maids to come and wake me up at eleven. How very brotherly of him. No, really.

I don't mind being informed that I missed breakfast, but I know Caspian's going to want a word, or maybe several, with me regarding the new stranger Eva. Well, Laurah, but he doesn't know that. So I go to the library, because that's the most likely place he'll be. We have most of our conversations in there, at least.

"Good morning Cas, how's it- Good gosh man, you look horrible."

I hate to say it, but he really does. His eyes are red-rimmed, and he's got the most impressive bags under them I've ever seen.

"You didn't tell me she married."

Oh yeah, he does have a little bit of a right to be upset about that.

"Yes, well, about that..."

"I would have liked to hear it from you rather than a stranger."

"She's not a stranger, she's...a sprite?" I finish lamely.

"Two weeks, Nikki. Two weeks and you never saw fit to tell me?"

"I had a good reason, I swear! I was trying to get Laurah to come and tell you herself..." I have to really bite my tongue to keep from spilling the beans all over this here polished library floor. It takes a lot of effort. But Laurah would tan my hide if I tattled, and the whole point of my little subterfuge with that chica is to get her to come clean herself.

"Ah, and she wouldn't come..."

"Put bluntly, yes. Here's the low-down. Firstly, she was too scared to. She kept babbling about a dream and being married and hurting you both and how you surely mustn't want to see her anyways. Now I know that's probably not true, but she still wouldn't hear of it. Though you can take comfort in the fact that she didn't seem to like the look of Hallan's ring on her finger all too much."

Really, I'm astonished at my sudden knack for spinning a half-truth. Laurah did refuse to come here; Eva, on the other hand, did not.

Cas lets out a long sigh and rests the back of his head on the back of his chair, looking tired and worn and a little frustrated too. I don't blame him, really. Hence it's an enormous exercise of willpower to not blurt out everything right now.

"I'm really, really sorry, Cas, truly. You're right, I should've told you earlier."

After a long moment, the poor thing looks up and smiles.

"You are forgiven. How could I remain angry with my little sister?"

I beam as genuinely as I can and ruffle his hair fondly.

"It'll all work out eventually, I'm sure of it. You'll see." I soothe him as well as I can, and I'm pleased when I can tell it helps.

"Why does Eva never show her face?" he suddenly asks, and again I bite my tongue to keep from correcting 'Eva' to 'Laurah.'

"She's got a pretty big scar on her face," I answer, surprised by how easily it slips off my tongue.

"Ah, that explains it."

"Yeah, sorry if she seems scary, but she's cool once you get to know her, I promise."

"She reminds me of Laurah, somehow."

"Erm, really? How so?" I stutter out, once again fighting my better judgment.

"Eva's voice is much like hers, though perhaps a bit lower in pitch."

"Oh, really? I never really noticed." Heavens above, I hope Cas hasn't caught on to how I'm struggling right now.

"They grow the same white flower."

"Is that so? Huh, you learn something new every day!"

"Are you well, Nikki? You seem a bit...out of sorts."

"No idea to what you could be referring, Cas." My answer comes out shrill when I attempt to sound at ease. Man, good thing I never considered a job as a spy. I'd be dead in days, no hours.

"You never have been a very good liar, Nikki."

"Oh well thanks," I grumble at that oh so honest compliment.

"I daresay it's a good thing, even if it does not always please you."

"Good thing for you maybe..."

"What's going on, little sister?" The tone is teasing, but the question is not.

"You'll figure it out, I have no doubt," I reply, basking in my crypticness.

"Will I?" asks Cas, looking dubious and curious.

"Eventually, sure."

Or rather, a certain chica will be slowly coerced into spilling the beans.

* * *

**Laurah POV:**

I end up rising early, but I remember last night's lesson and stay in my room. My makeup mask goes on first thing, and my pacing comes next. I really don't know what I was thinking, coming here. I should just go home, and soon. Yes, as soon as I can, I should go home. Caspian knows I'm married now, and there's really no reason to stay.

"I'd best go tell Nikki," I mumble to myself, already slipping into character.

I go to just that, but her room's empty. I'm torn between waiting and going to find something to do, but I end up waiting. Better to wait than have to hunt her down later. So I wait, as patiently as I can.

After maybe half an hour, she comes in, looking a bit rough around the edges.

"Oh, there you are! I was lookin' for ya. So what's the game plan for today?"

"I'd really like to go home, Nikki," I blurt out, not bothering to beat around the bush.

"I'm sorry, what was that? I think my ears are going, because it almost sounded like you said you want to go home."

"I did."

"Oh, okay."

"Okay?" I echo disbelievingly. Surely she's not going to let me off the hook so easily. I'll be vastly relieved if she does, but I'll be so many levels of surprised that it's beyond words.

"Yeah okay. You can go home."

"...what's the catch?" There's got to be one. I know Nikki.

"No catch. You can go home...in a few months."

"Nikki!" I shriek, reconsidering my comment about refraining from throwing her out a window last night.

"You heard me."

"MONTHS?!"

"Yes, months."

"You're mental. Do you hear me? You are freaking mental, and you have no idea how much I'd like to swear right now." I end my short little rant in a furious grumble. How does she expect me to stay here for months? I have responsibilities back home; this was only supposed to be for a few weeks! Not months, weeks!

"I know. But seriously, stick it out. And while you're at it maybe you could just be you? Caspian's dying right now!"

"Literally?!" I raise my voice several octaves in my worry.

"Well no, not strictly literally, but you know what I mean! Tell him, woman!"

"Nikki, precisely the reason you even got me to agree to coming at all was that I not be me!"

"However, I never said how long you could keep up the charade, now did I?"

"Nikki, please! Find some sense!"

"Same to you!"

I sit down for a moment to compose myself. We shouldn't be yelling at each other. We're supposed to be on the same side, like we've always been. I shouldn't be raising my voice at my best friend, no matter what she's saying.

"I'm sorry for yelling," I finally say.

"Me too."

"Okay, I won't leave today. But I'm not staying for months on end either. How about I stay two weeks for sure, and we can talk about it again then?"

"That's fair. Okay, then, back to the original question! What's today's game plan?" Ah, there's the Nikki I know. Cheery as a tweety bird.

"Well, I wouldn't mind being able to practice my sword fighting. I haven't done that a lot lately, what with the wedding and all."

"To the training grounds we go!" Nikki declares, fishing a smile from both our faces.

"Let's go then!" I reply just as cheerfully, our tiny spat already forgotten.

"No hood?"

"It'll fall off anyway." Also, it's a bit to warm outside to spar and wear a cloak.

Nikki beams at my words and assures me that my makeup mask is complete before skipping out into the hall with me, our arms linked as always.

As soon as we round the corner though, I realize the great mistake in that. Skipping along with linked arms is only something Nikki and I do. And King Caspian surely knows that. Which would explain why he's looking at us like he's seeing a ghost.

"Oh, hi there Cas!" Nikki twitters happily, waving as innocently as you please.

I, on the other hand, realize my mistake and quickly free my arm from her before sinking into a small curtsy.

"Your Majesty," I greet politely, keeping my eyes fixed on the floor as my heart pounds at least three times faster than usual.

"Eva, Nikki," he replies, also very politely. But I don't miss the slight edge to his voice.

"Well, we're off to see the wonderful Wizard of Oz, care to join us?"

Bless Nikki for trying to diffuse the situation.

"I'm not sure I understand..."

"Since we were skipping, it seemed appropriate to make the reference. But we're going to the training-slash-practice grounds, if you'd like to come along."

I straighten up from my curtsy just in time to see King Caspian nod and reply that yes, he supposes he could spare an hour or two.

I manage to refrain from kicking Nikki in the shins as the three of us start down the hallway again.

Unsurprisingly, none of us manage to say anything the whole way to the armory, and not even on the way to the training grounds. I have to shoot Nikki a sarcastic 'Well done, smartness' sort of look, to which she responds with a rather dry form of 'Shut it.' I let a quiet sigh of relief when we finally make it to the sparring area, and the familiar feel of a sword in my hand puts me a bit more at ease.

The good news is that King Caspian doesn't seem to recognize me at all. Nikki and I really have made my new face something of a masterpiece. Still, I remind myself not to touch my face, just in case the coats might smear.

"Hey, lookie that, it works out perfectly! I'm no good at swordfighting and all that jazz, but you two can spar it out, whatcha think?"

Dammit Nikki.

"If the lady agrees," is Caspian's courteous, if neutral, response.

I don't like how he's looking at me. Almost...studying me.

And I know I can't refuse without it seeming odd, so I nod my assent and thank my good sense that I didn't go for the sais. I'd practically give myself away on a silver platter if I were to fight with those. At least I haven't spent as much time with a full-fledged sword, so my movements fall a bit below expert level.

"A most excellent proposition, Nikki!" A centaur comes up to our little trio, and I suppress a chuckle when Nikki looks at him with fake horrified terror.

"Jaystorm, what are you cooking up?" she immediately demands, placing her hands on her hips sassily.

"I do believe you are in sore need of more training with weaponry?" There's no doubting the gleeful satisfaction that stamps itself all over the centaur, Jaystorm's, face and tone.

"Please, mercy!"

I can't fight back the snort that escapes me at Nikki's rather theatrical mime of pushing him away. It's almost Shakespearian, but with more…Nikki.

Instantly, King Caspian's eyes dart to me, and I quickly hide my smile. He might recognize it, after all. I can tell from the look on his face that I'm too late, and that he has. I bottle up my inclination to let a few choice words slip for another time and try to recover my character persona.

"Shall we?" I ask, making my voice as unlike mine as I possibly can.

The king gestures to the open green in front of us, and I hurry into position. Even though I'm going to duel with one of the people who could easily identify me, I'm hoping I'll be able to relax a little. There isn't a lot of persona involved when swordfighting, not usually at least. I won't have to act quite as much. Maybe.

Vaguely, I notice Nikki and Jaystorm the centaur arguing back and forth over whether or not she needs a lesson right now, but soon it's just the sparring I have to worry with.

It comes as a surprise to me how skilled the king is. Certainly he's been practicing all his life, but I expected him to be a little bit under par from his injury. Then again, it's been a good few months since then, so I guess it's healed.

For every attack I make, he has a defense, and vice versa. At first it looks very much like he'll win this, especially since I'm fighting with a sword and not sais, my specialty. My first thought is to keep fighting at the same level and hence not resist his victory, but I just don't have it in me. It's not in me to back down from a spar if I know I can do better.

So I don't.

My brain is berating me for my foolishness, but I step up my game as the king continues to hold the upper hand. A smile of enjoyment cracks my serious face, and I can't help but rise rather spiritedly to the challenge. It becomes a bit like a dance, and the scales begin to even out.

I grin at my progress and fight harder than ever, not even caring about the trickles of sweat dripping down my back and neck. King Caspian falters for a moment, his eyes desperately searching my face, but I just keep going with my adrenaline fueling my enthusiasm. It feels so good to be pushed to my absolute limit like this. It's only when we draw that I realize the king's looking at me like he almost recognizes me.

"A match well fought, sire," I pant, keeping the fear from my face. Did a smile slip out while we were sparring? Surely I have more sense than that.

"Indeed," seems to be all he can manage.

I break eye contact with the excuse of wiping at my sweaty forehead, making sure I don't smear my makeup. Oh no…the makeup! Panic rushes up and colors my cheeks a burning red, and I pray fervently that the sweat hasn't ruined my mask into a gloppy, flamingly obvious mess.

"Are you certain we do not know each other, my lady?" the king asks quietly, though he could have shouted it for the terror-inducing effect it has on me.

"Quite, Majesty," I reply, trying ever so hard to keep my voice from shaking and thus giving me away. I should have known better than to act so much like myself, and I can thank myself for this mess.

"Forgive me, it's just…at certain times you remind me of someone."

Shit. Double shit on toast.

"I apologize if my appearance causes pain-"

"No no, I meant it as a compliment, Eva."

"Then thank you, Majesty."

"Do you not remember last night? Just Caspian, please."

What is it with King Caspian and dropping titles? Nikki must be rubbing off on him.

Still, I force myself to nod, though I don't say anything.

"Alright, you're done torturing me! Go bother someone else!"

King Caspian and I both turn to look amusedly at a bushed and put out Nikki, who's currently telling off Jaystorm.

"But who?"

I never thought it possible for a male centaur to whine.

"Oh I don't know, someone!" Nikki's gaze sweeps the open grounds, and I stiffly shake my head when it stops to rest on me. "Eva, you tuckered out yet?"

"I suppose I have energy for one more spar," I grudgingly admit, hoping that maybe she'll do me a favor and distract Caspian while I spar.

"See, go annoy the snot out of her! She's willing!"

"Nikki, I must remind you I agreed to a duel only," I gently correct, twirling my sword easily and striding toward Jaystorm.

"Oh by the way, Jaystorm this is Eva. Eva, this is Jaystorm, the closest thing to an annoying brother you'll ever find on the face of the earth."

"How wonderful," I mutter light-heartedly, forgetting momentarily that it's more of a Laurah thing to say than an Eva thing to say.

"I assume your hair is correct in telling me you're a sprite, Lady Eva?"

"Just Eva. And yes, that is correct."

"I don't suppose you might happen to know a sprite named Laurah?"

He suspects. Even after only a few minutes of acquaintance, I can tell he suspects. And needless to say, it's wildly unsettling, especially since the extent of my knowledge of this person - well, centaur - comes from anecdotes Ann or Rhos told me in our rare moments of free time.

"I know of her," I reply coolly, giving nothing away.

Jaystorm nods, seeming satisfied, before taking the first swing. We go back and forth for a good while, and I'm pleased with my self-control this time around when I let him win, though only be a hair's breadth.

"It seems my luck has worn off," I say as I hold up my hands in surrender.

"Dang it Eva, I was really hoping you'd take him down a peg or two!" Nikki whines, prompting me to laugh and challenge Jaystorm to another spar.

I only win for Nikki's sake, but I can feel the king's eyes on me, studying me, comparing me. Half expecting him or Jaystorm both to say something, I quickly hurry off under the pretense of putting everyone's weapons back, and at first I'm certain I've escaped scrutiny for at least the five minutes returning the swords will take. I'm wrong, so sorely wrong.

"King Caspian!" I start when his hand gently touches the middle of my back.

I can't decide if I hate the fact that I recognized his hand so easily.

"Lady Eva," he answers smoothly. "I thought I might help carry a few of the swords."

"I'm fine, thank you." Dammit. "That is, I think I shall manage alright." Great, that wasn't obvious at all.

"Then may I walk with you?"

"As you are king, I imagine I am in little position to tell you cannot."

He looks as me consistently as we walk along, even though I try to use my hair to hide at least a bit of my face.

"If you have something you would say to me, Caspian, simply say it and do not keep me in suspense," I finally sigh as I put the swords in their proper place.

"I have nothing-"

"Surely you must wish to say something. Why else would you stare at me so?"

"Very well. There is to be a…celebration rather soon, within the month. I wished only to extend the invitation to Nikki to include you as well."

"A pretty display of manners, Caspian. Yet staring is not proper manners." What am I doing, bantering with the king of Narnia?

He bows at the waist, and something about it seems teasing in nature.

"My apologies."

I sigh at his poorly hidden expectant face, especially since we both know what he's getting at.

"Very well, Majesty. I'll go."

* * *

**There we go! Another chapter for you all, just about on time! And hopefully I'll find my inspiration again and I can finish up that blasted Chapter 22...writer's block is the worst. Anyway, enough about that!**

**Guest - Awesome! That's the consensus, so nothing changes with regard to chapter length ;)  
I'm sorry! But I had to do it! Really! Gotta have conflict, right? XD And also gotta have Nikki!  
Hrm, perhaps for a similar reason that Nikki didn't put the brakes on the wedding? ;D Very good thoughts by the way, about traitor things and possibilities! :D  
Ah, hearing that makes me squeal with joy! Haha a writer can never have too many compliments, especially with writer's block always lurking in the shadows XD**

**Please do leave me your thoughts everyone, I do so love hearing what you think! :D**

**Until next time!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Wow, time flies...I guess that happens when one gets bogged down with work XD I'll keep this brief, because I have a pressing appointment with a sea of schoolwork and applications for a workshop, so...yeah :P**

**But of course I have to thank my lovely reviewers: Evy201, joycelyn. , and Guest! :D I'll respond to you all at the bottom of the chapter ;)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Laurah POV:**

"You know somethin' chica? I'm proud of ya."

"That's entire reason I agreed, so you're welcome."

"Seriously?"

"Well, that and I knew you'd turn me into sushi and put my grilled little pieces on the hors d'oeuvres tray."

"Yeah, pretty much, that's what I'd have done," Nikki admits freely and quite shamelessly, I might add.

"Knew it."

I sit patiently as she continues coaxing my hair into a somewhat complicated updo for tonight – well, mostly.

"Yowch! Must you yank my hair from my scalp?" I whimper as I try to swat her hands away.

"All for the greater good, remember that," chirps a very not-sorry Nikki.

"Remind me why I agreed to let you do my hair again, Nikki?" I groan.

"Because you know there's no one better and because you didn't want to put on your fifty layers of makeup just yet."

"Point taken."

The tugging and yanking and general unpleasantness last for what feels like another few hours, and I'm almost relieved enough to fake cry when Nikki proclaims my hair to be perfect.

"At last! I don't know how much longer I could have survived!" I exclaim with no little amount of drama, even holding my hand up to my forehead for extra punch.

"Drama queen," mutters Nikki, though I can see a smile twitching around the corners of her mouth.

"Learned from the best," I answer with a fond, if somewhat patronizing, smile.

"Uh huh."

"Can I get dressed now?"

"You're askin' me?"

"Just didn't know if I'd mess up your masterpiece."

"…If you slide that dress over your head I will personally put you through a paper shredder!"

I laugh at Nikki's rather creative threat and reassure her that I have no intention of forcing her to go through with that and ease into the dark green dress waiting for me as carefully as I can.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready too, Nikki?" I call as I emerge from behind the dressing screen.

"Yeah, good idea."

"Now you get to sit through a hellish nightmare of hair-raising pain. Excuse the pun."

"Actually, no I don't. The only thing I'm doing to my hair is brushing it smooth and putting it in this." Nikki holds up a silver headdress with large diamond netting that looks as though it'll encase her hair.

"Why couldn't you come up with something as simple for my hair, may I ask?" Really, why?

"Because we can't look too much alike," she replies, a little gleeful sparkle dancing in her eyes. Rat.

I allow myself a sigh for the two hours I spent at Nikki's mercy and fix her hair as she said. It's so achingly simple that I almost consider complaining again, but then again, Nikki did spend a lot of effort on me, however painful it was. So I fix the netting over her dark hair without complaint.

"Alright, you're done. Best get on your dress."

"Makeup?"

"Right. But every woman for herself."

"Fair enough."

Barely half an hour later, we're all done.

"Well Nikki, I have to admit you did impeccably with my hair, as much as it pains me to say it."

"See, it was worth it!" she cheers, fixing me with a grin as she admires her handiwork atop my head.

"Maybe."

Neither of us can resist looking at ourselves in the mirror for a quick minute before we head off, though for quite different reasons. I use the time to make sure I'm all hidden away inside my makeup mask, and Nikki uses it to do last-minute touch-ups. Needless to say, she stands there a bit longer than me, and I have to remind her that we'll be obscenely late if we don't hurry up. I for one wouldn't mind arriving a good few hours late, but Nikki gave me a long little schpiel on how we're going to be exactly on time, and after her threat to dump the punch bowl over my head, I decided to go with it.

"Let's go then!"

* * *

To my slight delight, we end up being a little late. Just enough to avoid the whole intro, so we're able to slip inside quietly and relatively unnoticed. A little like I've been purposely under the radar for the past three weeks.

"Alright Nikki, you go ahead and go find your Sadrian, and I'll befriend this here corner. Sound good?"

"Oh no you don't! You are coming with me, little missy, and you are mingling!" she orders, giving me no room to argue when she glances threateningly at a punch bowl nearby.

"Fine, but don't expect me to do endless amounts of idle chattering. Talking in that low pitch wears on my throat after a while," I retort, trying to mimic Nikki's no-room-for-argument tone.

"Suit yourself," replies a now cheery Nikki as she tugs me along through the crowd in search of her Sadrian.

"If I had my way, I wouldn't even be here, smartness."

"But you are here, so make the best of it!"

She's turned far too chipper for my taste, but I swallow a sarcastic comment because I notice the king nearby and I don't want him to overhear. He's just close enough that he could. And that just wouldn't do at all. I already had a bit of a similar slip that he noticed over a recent dinner.

"Nikki, I was searching for you," a male voice welcomes, one that could only belong to Sadrian.

"Hiya! I just got here," she replies, happily going up to him.

I see this as my chance to sneak away, and I'm almost successful. If only Nikki was the sappy romantic type to get lost in her boyfriend's eyes. Yes, they were officially courting now. One might think Nikki would care a bit more to stay ignorant of my sneaking away with her Sadrian right in front of her, but apparently her sappiness only extends to me and Caspian.

"Don't even think about it."

Darn it all.

"Ah, hello Lady Eva." Sadrian greets me politely, knowing I won't be able to ignore him without appearing rather rude. Dang it dang it dang it! He's on Nikki's side, the lout. Go figure.

"Good evening, sir," I force myself to say as I turn around and dip into a tiny curtsy. Were I not so determined to remain in character, I'd shoot him a glare. But I know better, so I paint a smile onto my lips and hope it looks at least a little genuine.

"Get over here, Eva. No sneaking off, ya hear?"

"Yes, Nikki."

Heavens help me, I'd very much like to throw a punch bowl over _her_ head!

But at least I can be thankful that I'm not really required to contribute to the conversation much. I can simply smile and nod and hum my interest in the right places, and that's all. It's not quite as good as vanishing into the shadows, but it's close.

"Oh hi there Cas!" Nikki calls as the king crosses her line of sight, and again, I think how much I'd like to empty that punch bowl over her head.

"Hello Nikki!"

Well he's in a good mood. Maybe he'll not notice me if I stay quiet.

"Hello Sadrian, Eva," he continues, in the most polite of ways, seemingly hard-pressed to keep from scanning me head to toe. He's gotten into the habit of doing that. If I didn't know better, I'd say he suspects. Oh hell...yeah, he does.

I discreetly twirl the rings on my left hand to remind myself that I'm married. My heart isn't allowed to pick up in tempo when he stands next to me, or when our hands brush accidentally.

"I beg you would excuse me," I hurriedly say, desperate to just get some fresh air.

"Hurry back," Nikki replies, though I can hear the warning in her tone. Oh I'll be back alright.

I nod slightly to show I understand and make a beeline for the wine. Just one glass shouldn't hurt, especially since I've had it before. Take my wedding, for instance.

I'm surprised when Nikki appears next to me, eyebrows arched at the glass in my hand.

"Chica, what are you-"

"Hush it, Nikki. There's no drinking age in Narnia." As if to prove my point, I take a gulp of the wine, a larger one than I should, but it feels quite good going down.

Two glasses later, I'm really rethinking my judgment. Especially with my still slightly low body weight.

"Are you alright, Eva?" King Caspian asks when I return to the little group, most likely with my cheeks flushed from the alcohol.

"Quite. Never better, actu'lly." Dang, my words are a little off.

I vow here and now to never have more than one glass ever again.

A tiny snorting laugh sounds from a slightly tipsy me when Nikki's eyebrows shoot up, almost flying off her forehead. I immediately regret laughing when I notice King Caspian's gaze dart to me. It sounded much to like myself, I know.

To my slight frustration, the next song to come on happens to be a slow Narnian waltz, and I can't quite work up the resolve to refuse when the king asks me to dance. I blame the wine for my lack of willpower. I also blame it for my slightly decreased coordination, but also thank it. I'm more than a little suspicious that this dance is a test, to see if I dance like Laurah. Well, thanks to the wine, I think I'm dancing much more like Eva.

King Caspian certainly has his work cut out for him, especially since my balance isn't up to snuff. Again, it's better that way because it'll throw him off my trail.

"I apologize for my lack of coordination, Majesty."

"Caspian," he gently reminds me.

"I apologize for my lack of coordination, _Caspian_."

I blame the wine for my acquiescence to calling him Caspian, just Caspian.

"There is nothing to forgive, Eva."

Every time he says 'Eva' he seems to struggle with it a bit, like he's trying not to call me something else. Of course, I know exactly what he's trying not to call me, but I play the perceptive innocent.

"You hesitate each time you say my name, and you say it perhaps more often than might be considered normal. Why is that?" I murmur, already getting a little bit sleepy from the wine.

"As I suspect I have mentioned to you before, you remind me a bit of someone I knew."

"Who was she? Someone you fancied, if my guess is correct."

"Well...yes. Her name was Laurah."

I feign surprise and ask, "Princess Laurah, of the sprites?"

"The very same."

"...I am sorry she married."

"As am I," he answers sadly, his grip on my waist lessening slightly, even though his gaze intensifies.

This is a test too, I can tell. He's still not convinced I'm Eva and not Laurah.

"But at least you may take comfort in that she is happy, and the war seems to over," I try, attempting to give him a small grain of comfort in spite of my better judgment to remain silent.

"Yes, I may." His gaze turns far-away as he replies so, and his hold lessens a trifle more.

I do believe I'm convincing him, bit by bit. Good, that's very...good.

"I see you are married as well, Eva," he starts conversationally, his face retreating from open and honest to polite and somewhat distant.

"I am." Crap, I forgot to think up a husband for myself.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"I do have a sister, yes."

He waits expectantly, and I end up blathering cooperatively. Never again am I drinking wine.

"She is perhaps two years my senior, and the happy medium between my mother and myself. She really is an angel of patience, and she helped me ever so much when I had a bit of a rough time a few months ago. I have not always known the love of a sister, and I do believe I might be getting quite spoiled on it. She really is going to be a wonderful queen someday."

Oh shitaki mushrooms. Did I really just say that?

"What I mean is, she's very much like the Princess Ainslie, who will be a wonderful queen to us someday..." I trail off, cursing my alcohol-loosened tongue so many times I actually run out of cuss words. No wine, no alcohol, ever again, not as long as I live.

Caspian's face remains neutral, but I can see that my slip of the tongue wasn't lost on him. His eyes have lost their polite distantness and have become alight with hope.

Double dog darn it.

"If you do not mind my asking, how is it you came by that scar, Eva?" he asks, eyeing me for any other hint that I'm not Eva.

"From a battle, Majesty. Near the beginning of the war."

"I'm sorry," he answers simply, his voice unreadable.

Oh, but how I understand the meaning hidden in it when he reaches up and touches my face with his hand.

Thanks to the wine, I don't process the action as quickly as I should, and by the time I have, it's already too late. When he pulls his hand away, his palm and fingers bear the slightest color of my makeup on them.

"You should know better than to touch a woman's face at a ball, Majesty. The makeup, as you see, comes off more easily than we would like."

Caspian's eyes flit from his hand to my face and back again several times, and I realize that his hand touched my drawn scar. Judging by his confused face, it's probably smudged enough to be noticeable.

"Please excuse me, Majesty, I do believe the wine has caught up with my stomach," I lie, slipping quickly from his hold and rushing back into the crowd before he can grab my hand and pull me back.

Keeping up the pretense of having an alcohol-induced upset stomach, I rush toward the double doors leading to an outdoor balcony and take in deep gulps of the fresh air. My heart hammers defiantly at my ribcage as I attempt to calm myself with deep and steady, if shaky, breaths. Does he know? He suspects, surely. I know he does; why else would he touch my face? He knows, or he suspects strongly. Each is just as bad as the other. I was a fool for letting Nikki talk me into coming.

Cautious steps approach me, and I make a hearty attempt to compose myself. By the time I look up and see Jaystorm towering above me, I'm at least a little calmer.

"Hello, Jaystorm," I greet, keeping my tone pleasant but neutral.

"Good evening. I hope you would not mind if I were to ask you a question?"

My throat goes dry, but I nod and try to conceal my uneasiness.

"Nikki brought you here, but you don't seem to be here on your own free will. Why have you come, then?"

"Nikki befriended me when she came to us sprites to visit Princess Laurah, and since we spent little time together, she insisted I come to Cair Paravel so we could spend a bit more time together and get to know each other." I'm quite pleased by how easily the lie rolls off my tongue, and by how calmly I tell it. No one will guess my identity, not tonight.

"Forgive my prying, I formerly suspected you to be someone else," he apologizes, most traces of suspicion gone from his face. I've been so guarded around him that his first suspicion was banished fairly easily.

"Quite alright, quite alright. At least you did not suspect me to be the one behind the attacks on the king," I answer truthfully.

"You are of little danger to King Caspian, and I think his attacker would not seem so..."

"So what?"

"So frightened of him, if you'll pardon the observation."

"No offense taken, Jaystorm," I assure him.

"Very good. Good night then, Eva."

"Good night."

As soon as the centaur is out of earshot, I let out a relieved, whooshing breath. Suspicion has been diverted, at least for tonight. My performance in front of Caspian may have been something short of convincing, but at least Jaystorm seems to be placated. If I can fool that centaur, surely I can fool the king. I just have to stay away from the wine and I'll be good.

And even better, my senses seem to be back in order now that almost an hour's passed, and I almost feel ready to rejoin the party. A minute or two more of breathing the crisp night air, and I'll be good as new. Well, after I check my makeup that is. I almost forgot about it, truthfully.

I dart inside only long enough to exit the ballroom once more, this time going into the hallway that will eventually lead me to my room. It's the best place to fix myself up again, as it's the best place for privacy. I can't have someone seeing me and asking questions, can I?

As it turns out, my scar didn't smear, but some of the makeup on my cheek did. Fixing it is the work of barely five minutes, and I leave to rejoin the party. Nikki might dunk me in the punch for being gone so long, but maybe my dance with Caspian might placate her a little bit. It better, because the punch would inevitably ruin my makeup mask, and then I'd really be done for.

"There you are!" Nikki shrieks the minute I reappear in the ballroom.

I wince as a number of attendees turn to look at both her and me, the volume of her voice having drawn considerable attention. She never did have too much of a knack for subtlety.

Obediently, I hurry toward her, adopting a contrite, if insincere, expression on my face.

"I am sorry for my absence, I needed a breath of fresh air," I apologize, silently telling her to pipe down with my eyes.

"Humph, that was several breaths. But didn't I warn you against the wine?"

"Yes, you did. I should have listened," I reply ruefully, thinking back to my slip of the tongue regarding Ainslie.

"You almost never do, though."

"Point taken."

"Ah, I see you are recovered, Eva."

I turn to face Caspian as he comes up and stands beside me, still looking a mite suspicious.

"Yes, I am. The fresh air did me a world of good."

Keep the tone neutral, keep the tone neutral...

"I wonder, could I perhaps coax you into a second dance?"

"Provided Your Majesty does not mess with my face again, certainly." It's the closest thing to teasing I've said all night, and it feels kind of good, oddly enough. At least I manage to tease in an Eva-like way, rather than a me-way.

I take Caspian's offered hand delicately and let him lead me back onto the floor, knowing he's most likely using the dance as an avenue to question me a bit more. But this time, now that the wine's had a bit of time to wear off, I'm ready for him.

"And is your mother a good queen?" he asks smoothly as we begin another slow dance.

"My mother is not the queen," I answer immediately. It's a good thing I was listening closely, otherwise I'd likely have slipped up again. Caspian was dangerously nonchalant about the question.

"Forgive me, it was a slip of the tongue."

"Do not make fun of me, _sire_. You cannot fault me for anything I uttered while under the influence of not one, but two glasses of your rather potent wine," I fire right back, almost enjoying myself. Almost.

"I meant no offense-"

"Be that as it may, it was taken."

Caspian is surprisingly silenced by that, and I take the opportunity to subtly glare at him as we dance for a few beats of music.

"And your father?" he finally asks, a bit more gently than he asked about my mother.

"Dead," is my short and very blunt answer. I can adopt at least that much from my real self, since he never knew that about me.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to stir up sorrow." Something about that apology feels genuine, and it makes sense when I remember that his father is dead too.

"You are forgiven, Caspian. Though I must say, you have asked me more questions than usual this evening. Why?" I try very hard to keep my voice innocently curious, as opposed to accusing.

"I mistook you for another."

"The same someone you once loved?" It's a bold question, but I still manage to keep it gentle, at least in tone.

His silence only confirms my suspicion, and I ignore the slight pang in my heart. Apparently it shows on my face though, because Caspian instantly shifts from quiet and pained to concerned.

"Are you alright, Eva?"

"Quite. Forgive me Caspian, I am a silly old thing." Silly indeed, for not having moved on well enough yet.

"Oh no, not old," he teases quietly, and I stare at him agape for a moment before his words actually sink in.

"I do believe that could be the first time I heard Your Majesty joke," I explain, my mouth still slightly ajar.

I'm rewarded by a soft smile, and it coaxes me to return the gesture. Still, I'm a little relieved when the slow song ends, and I start to step away. However, Caspian seems to have other ideas, refusing to let me slip away so easily.

"The song has finished, Caspian."

"Then may I steal you for another?" Something about his manner of asking forces my resolve to melt away, and I find myself nodding my assent before I've even thought it through.

As soon as I hear the song, I realize I've made a mistake. It doesn't sound completely Narnian, mostly likely a request of Nikki's. I can see her and Sadrian beginning to dance the jive to the new song, and my heart drops down into my toes. There isn't much else one can dance to this song, and I instantly wonder if Caspian knew that when he asked me to dance with him for one more song.

Before I can stop myself, I sink easily into the jive, all those years of dance lessons having engrained the steps into my memory. To my great surprise, Caspian does the same. Where did he learn the jive? Nikki? It'd be the only explanation, but I know she didn't plan this on purpose. She understands the importance of discretion as to my particular identity, and she wouldn't pull a stunt like this.

It's little matter anyway, as I'm sure the damage has been done. Caspian's been regarding me strangely, almost hopefully and suspiciously, since the minute I broke out into the jive. Dang it Mr. Dougherty, why did you have to be such a good teacher?!

"Nikki taught me," I explain swiftly, hoping it'll efface his suspicion. It doesn't.

"You seem to know it well," he answers softly as he turns me under his arm.

"We practiced many times, Majesty," is my very firm reply, but it still does nothing to change his suspicion.

I try to make small mistakes, missteps, but I know this dance too well to mess it up so trivially. Go figure, that's just my luck.

"Do not look at me so, Caspian," I hiss through my teeth, cursing my ingrained knowledge of the jive with every spare molecule of my thoughts.

"I am sure I do not know what you mean."

"Stop! I am not this Laurah! The princess is with Hallan and she is happy and she is most certainly not me! Give up your foolish hope, Caspian!" I manage to keep my voice soft enough to preserve the privacy of our conversation, but it comes out far sharper than I intended. I want so much to apologize at the look of sheer, but veiled, pain that crosses Caspian's face, but I bite my tongue. 'This is for his own good,' I remind myself.

We finish the dance in silence, and we part ways in the same manner once the lively song finishes. I purposefully avoid Nikki as I leave the dance floor, just in case she saw our little exchange. I don't want her to ask about it, because I really don't feel like talking about it.

I almost consider stopping by the wine table and getting another glass, but all the horror tales I've heard about hangovers jump to mind, and I grab some punch instead.

"Everything okay, chica?"

"Don't call me that! That's something you only call Laurah!" I hiss, widening my eyes in slight alarm. "What if someone heard that?"

"Alright, I'm sorry Eva. What's gotten into you? You don't look so good," she asks, looking more concerned than confidently sassy, which is her usual look.

"Nothing. I guess I'm just tired from the wine," I lie, fighting hard to make Caspian's face vanish from my mind's eye.

"You don't fool me. Go on now, go patch things up," shoos the entirely too perceptive girl in front of me.

"But-"

"No buts. You'll both feel awful for weeks if you don't. Go." Nikki leaves little room for argument in her tone, and none in her face. So I sigh my submission and walk back into the crowd to seek out Caspian.

When I finally spot him again, it's on the dance floor. Naturally, he's dancing with someone - what else would he be doing on the dance floor? - and I feel the odd sensation of my heart both lifting and plummeting at the same time. Lifting because it's proof he can find someone else and have his happily ever after, and plummeting because it's not with me. The plummeting is absurd, because I'm not exactly available, but the feeling won't go away in spite of the utter lack of logic behind it. I force myself to wait patiently until the song's over and to focus on the lifting-heart sensation when Caspian smiles, even laughs, with the pretty young redhead.

It's so very tempting to go back to Nikki and tell her he's busy, but she'll only shoo me off again and tell me to talk to him anyway. So I try to enjoy the solitude, and I wait. I don't make it obvious that I'm waiting for him of course, but I keep a distant, flitting eye on him so I'll know when it's proper to approach him. This whole thing really is a lot harder than I was anticipating.

After what feels like ages, but can realistically only have been minutes, Caspian escorts the pretty little redheaded girl off the dance floor. They stand and talk for a few more minutes, and my heart twists both happily and painfully when he smiles and kisses her hand when she excuses herself. He does seem quite taken with her. Good, it'll be very good for him to move on. Maybe once I see that he's okay, I can start to truly forget about us too.

I wait a bit longer before tentatively approaching him, and I don't hide the contrition on my face as I walk up. The instant he sees me, his eyes grow distant and hidden, making my heart squeeze painfully again.

"I'm sorry, Caspian," I whisper as soon as I'm within earshot. "I should not have said the things I did."

He waits, and I know he wants at least some sort of explanation.

"I wish I could explain, but I truly cannot. I can only tell you that I am sorry."

For a few awful moments, it looks as if he won't be able to accept that, and I almost tremble at the thought of being persuaded to give up my secret. I know I couldn't refuse him, at least not right now.

Then the warmth slowly comes back to his eyes, and I almost sob with relief when he smiles and nods.

"You are forgiven, Lady Eva."

"Ah, so it's back to formalities, King Caspian?" In my giddiness, I forget to speak more formally.

"I suppose it is," he replies, still with a warm smile on his handsome face.

I'm about to reply in the same jesting tone when a slightly out of place shadow catches the corner of my eye. Naturally, with the two attempts on Caspian's life jumping to mind, I whip around to get a better look. Said shadow promptly vanishes the minute I turn, of course.

"What's the matter, Eva?" Caspian asks, more curious than concerned.

"Nothing." I intend to check it out, but no need to alarm him if it's nothing. Besides, he's in the middle of the crowd here; he's safe.

When I turn back around to face him, I make sure to smile nonchalantly. He'll be fine if he just stays here in the ballroom, amongst his many guests.

"I beg you would excuse me, Caspian. I haven't spoken to Nikki very much this evening."

He nods and smiles his understanding, gesturing that I am indeed excused. With a small dip of a curtsy, I leave him. But I have no intention of talking to Nikki. I'm going after that shadow. It looked too much like a person for me to just ignore, and its sudden flight after I took notice makes it inherently suspicious. If I can follow it, maybe it'll lead me to the king's attacker, or maybe its hideout. The snippets of dark whispers I've managed to catch over the days leading up to the ball suggested some sort of base, if you will.

When I'm sure I'm out of Caspian's line of sight, I duck outside to the balcony and follow it to the window where I saw the shadow. I stop in my tracks when I see the dark outline less than five yards ahead of me. My breath becomes as silent as a falling feather, and I watch the shape closely. It's a person, that much I can tell, but nothing else. However, all care for stealth flies straight out the window, so to speak, when I see the figure raise what looks to be a crossbow and aims it carefully.

I don't even think before I dive for the shadowy figure football tackle style.

Unfortunately, my dress rustles loudly with my movement, and the figure darts back just before I crash into it. I let out an 'oof!' as I land hard on the ground instead. By the time I drag myself to my feet, the figure's already managed to leap to another nearby balcony. On a mad impulse, I follow suit, ignoring the sound of my dress tearing mid-jump.

I chase the elusive figure through what feels like miles of castle corridors, and I almost loose it several times. Only my sprite eyesight keeps me on its trail. But when it leaps out a two-story window, I know I'm screwed. I rush to the open window all the same, and I almost roll my eyes when I see it galloping away on a horse. Really? That's such a Scarlet Pimpernel thing to do...

Thinking it's useless but hoping it'll work just the same, I sing out the tune I use to call Asha. It's probably useless, but maybe I'll catch some luck.

Luck is with me tonight.

I catch a glimmer of gold, and when Asha's close to the window, I jump. Needless to say, she catches me perfectly, and together we race off after the distant, shadowy horse and its rider.

* * *

**I'm personally still unsure about how I feel about this chapter, so any suggestions are greatly appreciated ;P**

**Guest - (second review for chapter 10) Ooooo, you pretty much hit that nail straight on the head! Haha and that's all I'll divulge, but once again I have to say how very HAPPY your thinking out loud makes me! :D**

**Evy201 - See, I'm not completely cruel! ;D And you can dance in anticipation for the next chapter, because I think you'll like what goes on ;)  
Indeed she is and wonderful job noticing that change! But about Laurah and Jaystorm: keep in mind that Laurah didn't just forget Caspian; she forgot most of Narnia with the exception of the sprites and everything within that small circle. So essentially, from her point of view, she hasn't met Jaystorm before, even if she's heard an occasional story about him :)**

**joycelyn. - Yerp, I'm not planning on making this part of the story super drawn out or anything. And yes, I am a bit proud of the scene he finds out! I can't wait for y'all to read it! ;D  
More charming? Hahaha I thought Caspian maxed out the charm-o-meter just by existing XD I'm glad you're enjoying the Nikki and Jaystorm time though! I thought that since there isn't a lot of Jaystorm and Laurah bro-sis time, Nikki'd be more than happy to fill the gap. Well...actually it was more like Nikki just demanded that she get brother time with someone other than Caspian (apparently she felt weird about her older brother being red-hot gorgeous) and I obliged XD  
That was an interesting twist idea though! Ironically enough, a new story I'm starting is about cats XP**

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed last time, and thank you in advance to reviews for this chapter! Do leave me your thoughts, lovely readers, they make my day! ;)**


	14. Chapter 13

**Well after a simply amazing review last chapter, I've been hit square between the eyes with a plot bunny! While that's great news because it might make this story a bit better, the downer is that I might have to rewrite and/or extensively edit chapters...which translates to: Please be patient with me, as college is a lot of work and I'll be hard-pressed to rework this story in the way it needs within a 3 day timeframe between chapters, especially with the clubs I'm in as well. Thank you in advance, wonderful readers, for your patience!**

**And of course, a special thank you to Evy201, Jade Dupree, and joycelyn. for reviewing! :D **

**I'd love to see some new faces in the review box, as a hint to any patient soul reading these author notes ;)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**Nikki POV:**

After a late night up partying at Caspian's inaugural ball, or whatever it's officially called, I'm expecting to be allowed to sleep until noon at least. So I find my grumpiness to be quite excusable when one of the maids rushes into my room at the ripe hour of seven in the morning, saying something about 'His Majesty King Caspian' wanting to see me, or something like that. I'm far to groggy to bother to understand the whole thing. What I do understand annoys me immensely.

"Can't he wait a few hours?!" I grumble quite grumpily into my pillow, yanking my covers over my head.

"I'm afraid not, Miss Nikki. He was rather insistent..."

"He owes me big time. And I'm still gonna kick his butt!" I shriek moodily, flinging off my covers and getting dressed semi-quickly.

The maid, bless her, takes her leave rather quickly. A very wise maneuver, given my mood. Nikki Stevens does NOT like being woken up early in the morning. And yes, seven o'clock is early.

Once I'm decent enough to set foot outside my room without causing a riot, I scuttle over to the library. I'm going to kill him if this isn't vitally important. Seriously, I'm considering the electric chair.

"Caspian the Tenth, you had better have a really good reason for this!" I bellow as I throw open the doors and stalk inside.

"Ah, you are awake," he replies mildly, gesturing for me to sit down in the armchair next to him.

"Barely! And not even a cup of coffee..." I grumble, quite loudly I might add.

"As I am certain I've told you a dozen times before, we do not have coffee in Narnia."

"Well, someone needs to invent it!" I rant, plopping myself in the chair Caspian gestured too most ungracefully.

"Patience. But I did not ask you to come to me so urgently about coffee, Nikki," he gently chastises, and I grudgingly shut up.

"Go ahead."

"Thank you. I simply wish to know everything you know about the Lady Eva."

Double dammit on roasted coffee beans. With a shot of expresso.

Be cool, Nikki.

"W-well, how about you ask questions and I answer?" I squeak, suddenly very wide awake.

Caspian raises an eyebrow at my slight stutter, but he doesn't mention it.

"First of all, have you seen her lately?"

"I saw the chica last night, at the ball. Rememba?"

"And since?"

"Dude, she's probably sleeping off the wine," I snort. "She did have two glasses, and she ain't a big gal."

"Could we, er, you, check and see if she is in her room?" The note of worry hidden in his voice makes me nod.

"Fine, but I'm tellin' ya, she's dead asleep. Wait here."

Heaven knows she probably left some makeup out on the dresser, and we can't have Cas darling seeing any of that.

I trudge out of the library and check 'Eva's' room. Well, maybe Cas isn't so nuts after all. She isn't there.

So I return to the library and my armchair and relay this surprising news to Cas.

"Either she's up early, or she isn't here, cuz her room's empty. Weird, right?"

Caspian makes a thoughtful little hum in reply, and I wait semi-patiently for him to ask another question.

"Does she know Laurah?"

"Erm...probably not, no. She lives in the village around the sprites' palace, so I doubt they've met." Man, lying doesn't come quite easily to me, does it?

Caspian notices, but he doesn't comment on it.

"Her parents?"

"Her dad is...well...I don't know actually. I didn't really spend a lot of time with her at her house, so I'm no expert on her family."

"Siblings?"

He's really sticking to the basics, isn't he?

"Well...like I said, I'm no expert on her family..." I trail off pathetically, wishing Laurah could be answering these questions instead of me. What if he's already asked her these things and he's comparing our answers?! If he is...man, we're screwed - in capital letters.

"And did you teach her how to dance?"

"Er, yeah. I did," I answer, smiling lamely.

"I must say Nikki, you don't seem too certain of your answers," he says quietly. Dammit, he suspects.

"I just don't know a lot about the chica, that's all," I squeak out, before adding, "I just know she's a good gal at heart, ya know? And since she knows Laurah pretty well, I thought her presence here might be...comforting, I guess."

"Nikki..." he trails off, and ice runs through my veins.

"Yes?" I manage to ask.

"You said earlier that she wasn't likely to know Laurah."

Double dog doo-doo and hoo-doo with voodoo on the side.

"Um...my mistake?" I offer weakly.

"Who is 'Lady Eva', Nikki?" Cas presses on, eyes blazing with something akin to hope.

"She's...she's ahm...she's a crazy chica, in a good way," I rattle off, very much wishing I could lie better. Still, this just might turn out for the better. That crazy chica won't have much of a choice but to spill the beans after this.

"So it isn't just Laurah you call 'chica'?"

"Ah, nope!" I punctuate this with as innocent a smile as I can muster.

"Nikki, please...tell me the truth."

I refuse to look my adopted older brother in the eye then, because that quiet, almost tired-sounding please just about shatters my resolve as it is.

"T-truth?"

"Yes, the truth!" Caspian breaks his composure just a little there, and I jump slightly at the raise in his voice.

A sudden way out of this occurs to me, and I almost throw a whole party in celebration of my genius.

"Why don't we wait until Eva reappears, and she can tell you? I messed up conveying news to you once, Caspian, and I'd rather like to not do that again."

That does it, and it's sincere too. Laurah can dance around questions and come up with new answers much better than I can, and while she'll be pissed that I stuck her in the situation, it seems to be the best compromise. Of course, with any luck, Cas here will weasel the truth out of her.

"Very well, Nikki."

Caspian rubs his eyes tiredly, and it's only then that I notice the prominent bags under his eyes.

"Caspian, have you been up all night?"

His exhausted smile confirms my suspicion.

"Oh big brother...don't do that to yourself!" I chide, in my gentle-ish way.

"I did not mean to stay up all night; I simply could not sleep."

"You poor thing...if L-Eva isn't back tomorrow, I'll pop over to the sprites and retrieve her, okay?" Dang, that was a close slip there.

"Thank you, that would help," he answers gratefully.

"No probs. Now get yourself to bed, okay?"

"Nikki, I have duties-"

"Congrats. And you won't be able to do a single one of them well at all if you don't get at least a little sleep. Off with you now!" I order, tugging him up out of his chair and lightly shoving him toward the library's double doors for good measure.

He complies very willingly, and I'm left to wonder how on earth Laurah and I are going to convince him that she's not...well, her.

* * *

**Laurah POV:**

After a long night of a wild goose chase, I end up sleeping out in the forest with Asha, having lost the shadowy thing among the trees, even with my eyesight.

The next morning, I uncurl myself from my loyal horse and begin making my way back to Cair Paravel. Nikki's probably going to chew me out for disappearing, but she'll hopefully understand when I explain why. Then again, she just might call me seven kinds of idiot and a hundred kinds of dimwit.

I can almost hear her now...ah, the lasting bonds of friendship.

"Come on Asha, let's head back. It's getting close to noon, and I'd like to get that chewing out over with soon."

Asha snorts, clearly laughing at the scolding that surely awaits me, and takes off at a full gallop back toward the Cair. Never mind that I only asked her to canter. No, she wants to hear it, I'm sure.

"Some friend you are," I tease her as I play with her mane.

All I get back is a high-pitched whinny that ripples through her entire horsey body, almost unseating me in the process.

"That's what I get for riding bareback, isn't it?" I ask dryly.

She neighs her amused agreement.

Thanks to Asha's entirely too eager pace, we get to Cair Paravel in record time: just under four or five hours, judging by the position of the sun.

She only slows down when we get to the village, and even then her walk is hurried. To my surprise, we get past the centaur guards without any trouble at all.

"Odd, isn't it," I whisper to Asha, who bobs her head in agreement.

We trot into the courtyard, and I dismount quietly. Then it hits me. We rode past the gate. I've practically shouted who I am to everyone. Well...shoot.

"Dammit," breathes a very tense me. How could I have been so utterly stupid?!

"There you are, chica!"

"Hi Nikki," I yelp, my heart still pounding from my blaring lack of judgment.

"Ah, you brought Asha. That's good," she states a bit blandly.

"Are you mental?!"

"Well, I'd best tell you now so you walk in prepared. Caspian had a little chat with me this morning, and he wants the truth. Yeah, the truth. And he wants it now. I stuttered through a few of his questions and made a MAJOR slip, so I've turned over the truth-telling to you. You're much better at getting out of sticky situations than I am. And oh by the way, my advice is to tell the man the TRUTH truth. Just my two cents. Anyway, I was going to ask you something...Oh yes. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

I blink once, twice, thrice, as Nikki's words sink in.

"Caspian wants...shit."

Nikki's reply is to fix me with a very confused and very amused expression.

"No, His Royal Majesty King Caspian the Tenth does not want shit. Mind out of the toilet, chica."

"Nikki, you know I didn't mean it like that!" I gasp in exasperation, caught somewhere between rolling my eyes and snickering my amusement.

"I know, but I thought I'd crack a smile from that scaredy-cat face of yours. Anyway...WHERE in the name of HEAVEN ALMIGHTY have you been ALL NIGHT?!"

"Uh...I've been chasing after a shadow that aimed a crossbow at Caspian from outside a window last night?"

"Oh, okay. Now what POSSESSED you to go out after this would-be assassin ALONE, may I ask?" Nikki's alteration between shouting and deathly calm murmuring would make me laugh at any other time, but I'm still processing that Nikki basically told me to tell Caspian that I'm not Eva; I'm Laurah.

"Mad instinct, which turned out to be fruitless anyway. Now I think you were saying something about Caspian talking to you this morning? I didn't quite...catch all that."

"You're lucky he didn't kill you, just for following him! Oh, but about this morning. Yeah, Caspian suspects something big time. And I for one suggest you tell him the for-real truth. Because he's kind of demanding it, like, right now. And of course there's the ever important matter of HIS feelings, which I must say you've done a bit of a spectacular job ignoring lately." She says all that so frighteningly calmly that I almost don't make sense of it.

"Huh, okay. May I disappear again, por favor?" Easy way out...still, as soon as I speak the words, something doesn't sit right in my stomach.

"Oh no you don't! You are NOT leaving me with this no-nonsense King Caspian, young lady! You happen to be the one who suggested all this, now you'd best get out of it!" Nikki's quite determined and quite serious, I can tell that much at least.

"Fine fine! But please don't tell me I have to face him now. Not after I just kind of saved his royal ass."

"Huh?"

"The shadow with the crossbow?" I remind her.

"Oh yeah, that! Well maybe I can buy you a little time, but I suggest you let Asha run on back to the forest before he sees her, if he hasn't already."

"Does he really know that much about me?"

"Yes, your memories of it just aren't in your little noggin any more."

"...I'm screwed, aren't I?"

"Pretty much, yeah. We both are, to be sure."

"Thank you for that stunning reassurance, really."

"No probs. Now are we gonna get this show on the road or what?"

"Better sooner than later I guess," I reply, my stomach doing all kinds of flips and flops over the mere idea of explaining my little charade to Caspian. One step at a time though...

"Alright Asha, this is goodbye for now. Best go on now before the whole castle sees."

"If they haven't already," Nikki points out again, not sparing my heart palpitations.

"Thank you for that, Sherlock." I force myself to remain as calm and un-panicked as possible while I say my goodbye to Asha and watch her gallop off. Only when I can see her racing across the small meadow do I relax a little bit. I let out a great whooshing breath of relief when she disappears into the trees.

"Time to face the music, I guess," I state wryly, trying not to dwell on my agitation about Caspian's reaction to all this. Though...Nikki had a bit of a point.

"Better you than me. Besides, wouldn't you rather tell him as opposed to me ratting you out?" Nikki asks, slinging her arm through mine as we slowly walk inside Cair Paravel.

"I suppose you have a point there, Nikki. I'd be seriously steamed if you just blurted all this out."

"See, so it all worked out for the best."

I don't hesitate to glare at her.

"Alright, so maybe not the best, but it could've gone worse?" she amends, her smile really looking more like a grimace than a true smile.

"I guess I can accept that," I grumble.

"Accept what?"

My mouth instantly goes dry as Caspian appears in the hallway in front of us.

"My upcoming humiliation and death thereof," I mutter under my breath, purposely making it quiet enough he can't hear.

"Eva, it is not like you to whisper under your breath." His voice sounds almost cold in its intensity, and it does nothing to quell my anxiety. Naturally, it only makes it worse.

"Forgive me, Majesty," I say in reply, dipping into a small curtsy as I generally trained myself to do.

He merely nods in response, and I almost faint when I realize that I forgot to lower my voice. This day just couldn't get any worse, could it?

"May I have a word with you in private, my lady?"

I instantly look to Nikki for help, but she only gives my arm a reassuring squeeze before leaving me on my own with an unreadable King Caspian.

He turns and starts back down the hallway he came from. I don't intend to follow, but I have little choice when he pauses after two steps and looks back to make sure I'm coming with him. I stop myself from sighing and obediently follow, even as my heart pounds deafeningly in my ears.

"Your makeup did not fare well on your ride," he notes, all too calmly.

"My ride, Majesty?" I decide on the spot to play innocence - even if it's frightened innocence.

"I saw you ride up. Your golden horse is quite hard to miss, isn't she?"

"Caspian-"

"Asha, isn't that her name?"

I try to swallow, but my throat's too dry.

For a moment, Caspian looks angry. But his face quickly softens.

"Is it not?" His voice has gone suddenly quiet, almost breaking my heart with its tone. It's so many things at once that I couldn't possibly name them.

I refuse to answer, instead focusing on getting some moisture back in my throat so I don't sound like a talking desert when I do decide to answer him.

"And what of your name, my lady?"

I couldn't answer him even if I wanted to; my throat's getting drier by the second.

A few beats of silence pass between the tense atmosphere, and the only sound is of his foots and my shoes tapping along down the hallway. It's not exactly a comforting sound.

"Please...simply answer me that, and I will ask no more of you." His voice is unbearably gentle, and I find myself fighting tears.

Tears of anger, of frustration, of shame, of sadness, of anxiety, of fear. They seem to be tears for everything that this moment is, and for everything that Caspian and I are, and everything we've failed to be; no, everything I'VE failed to be. I turn my head slightly away from him so he won't see them leaking from my eyes.

"A moment, please," I whisper, unsurprised when my voice come out rough and low. I don't even have to try to make it sound like Eva's voice.

"Do not hide your voice from me, I beg you."

That merits several tears at once, and I fight the urge to sniffle. My nose always runs when I cry, and I'm cursing that attribute right about now, cursing it right down to the dirty depths of hell. Even my breathing starts to get beyond my control, and I worry that Caspian's going to comment on my shuddering breaths. They're not half as quiet as I'd prayed for them to be. Curse it.

I take my moment to compose myself, and quite a few moments after that too. There will never come a time when talking to him in this manner is going to be any easier, so I know, objectively speaking, that I ought to just get on with it and get it over with. But I can't. I hid everything, even my face, from him; I'm not about to let him see me cry.

I'm not the only one.

A furtive glance sideways shatters my heart ten times over. The sight of even one tear trailing down King Caspian's cheek would be enough to make me cry even more, and two are clearly visible.

I quickly turn my eyes away, though I'm too late to stop the silent sob that whispers past my lips. Pursing those traitorous lips together, I swallow a second one that threatens to work its way from my throat.

"Can you not say something, my lady?" Caspian's voice catches on his own tears, only making mine flow all the more.

Suddenly, a sobbing sniffle attacks, and I'm powerless to stop it. It rips through the quiet, and I can feel, rather than see, Caspian's gaze whip from the floor to my face.

For a breathtaking moment, it almost feels like he's going to take my hand, but he never does. I hate myself for wishing he would. I'm not allowed to feel that way anymore.

Another shuddering sob escapes my determination, and I turn my face completely away then. I really hate that I'm crying, but I can't seem to help it. When Caspian's hand rises to rest on my shoulder ever so lightly, that does me in. I'm utterly unable to hold back my sobs now, and my whole body turns away from him as wave after wave of tears racks through me.

"Your name?" he presses, and I can only shake my head.

My hands fly up to cover my face as I feel the remains of the makeup being washed away, and when Caspian tries to turn me around to face him, I yank my shoulder free from his hand. I'm not ready, I'm not ready for him to see it's me. I'll never be ready, and I'm okay with that. He won't be, but I just don't have it in me to tell him. No...that's selfish. He has a right to know, after everything I've put him through...

"Not Eva," my voice whispers against my will. As soon as the words leave, I clap my hands over my traitorous mouth.

But then something tickles the back of my ear, and the side of Caspian's finger brushes against the skin there. I can't help my goosebumps.

"I think you left this in the garden on your first night."

How did he find that? But sure enough, I can feel the slight whispering touch of one of the petals against my ear.

"What is your name?" Caspian presses on, seeming to ignore the breaking of his voice.

Why is he crying too?!

"Why are you crying, Caspian?" I choke out past my sobs, still refusing to turn and meet his eye.

"I don't know," he quietly confesses. "Why are you?"

"I don't know," I whisper back helplessly. But I do know. I just can't tell him, really and truly _can't_.

Again, he tries to coax my body to turn around. I resist him.

By the time I hear him walking around me, it's already too late. He's here, standing in front of me, and holding both of my shoulders to keep me from turning away from him again. I know he's about to ask me what my name is again, and so my head shakes in anticipation.

"Don't ask again, please," I sob into my hands, having given up on holding back my tears.

His hands pull me closer, and he frees one of my shoulders to try to tip up my chin. When that's unsuccessful, he pulls me closer and closer until my backs of my hands touch him, and it takes every trace of determination left in me to not lean into the embrace. He releases my other shoulder and gently attempts to pry both my hands from my face. I try to back away, but he refuses to let me.

"I won't look at your face, I promise," Caspian whispers into my ear, and it breaks my resolve.

I let him pry my hands away, though I instantly duck my head forward so my hair covers most of my face. A look down shows me that my palms are covered in makeup. I must have little to nothing on my face now.

"My eyes are closed, my lady. Look and see," his voice croons, and I have no will left to disobey.

Tentatively, I bring my eyes up until they focus on his face. My heart threatens to burst when I see that indeed his eyes are closed. He's abiding by my unspoken wish, even when he has a desperate question whose answer is written plain as day on my face.

I may not be allowed to love him, but I still cry even harder at that blatant sign of his care for me. He knows it's me, or at least he strongly suspects. Yet he still does as I wish, rather than what he wishes.

"I suspect you already know who I am, Caspian. Why must I tell you myself?" I whisper in a broken voice.

"I must hear it from you, my lady. Please." The plea could have been shouted or hissed insistently, or wailed or spoken with the utmost urgency. But his whisper comes out as more intense than any of that, and two more tears trail down my cheeks in response.

How does refusing to tell him _hurt_ so very much? I don't know if I've ever felt a hurt like this before. It hurts, it really hurts; it burns and stabs and eats at my resolve. Still, I hang on. I just don't have it in me to surrender completely. Even when I know my refusal hurts us both every second it stretches on. Nikki's right; I'm far too stubborn for my own good. Nikki's been right about many things, actually...

"I can't." I know that breathed plea for him to understand is from the very bottom of my soul.

"You can, my lady. Please, for my sake..."

My mind does so many things in response. It shows me yelling at him to stop, me letting out an almighty sob of heartache and breaking free to run down the hallway, me screaming at him for asking this of me. Each loud and eruptive response seems like it's going to come out of my mouth, feels so real in my head, but not a single one of those scenarios happens. _Nothing_ happens, really. All I do is stand there and cry as silently as I can without my chest caving in from the effort of holding my sobs in, and all Caspian does is wait like an angel for me to tell him, for me to say something, _anything_.

It's too much. And I can't resist all this any longer.

Caspian catches me when I fall forward, and he rests a gentle hand on my hair as he lets me cry into his shoulder.

"I'll get makeup all over you," I hiccup while in the middle of a particularly violent sob.

"Do you think that matters to me?"

My heart clenches at his continued gentleness, his _tenderness_. That sets off another sob.

I don't know how long I stand there and cry into the King of Narnia's shoulder, but he waits patiently the whole time, stroking my hair with one hand and supporting me around my waist with the other. He's too perfect, he really is. Why did I marry Hallan? Why? Even stopping the war seems like a feeble excuse.

When my sobs subside at long last, we both take a deep and shuddering breath. I surprise us both when I reach up and wipe his cheeks dry with my hand, and my crying threatens to return when he leans into my touch.

"Don't _do_ that, I'll start crying again," I mumble half-heartedly into his shoulder.

"What?" he asks, quietly startled by my order.

"_That_. That leaning into my hand business...makes me tear up," explains my runaway mouth. I really need to learn to button my lip. Then again, I've done that too well in answer to his question as to my name. Surely he knows beyond a doubt now. I suppose he simply wants to hear it from me.

"My apologies," murmurs Caspian right back, seemingly a mixture of surprised and amused.

"What's funny?"

"The way you speak. I haven't heard it in so long..."

A stray tear leaks from my red eyes, and I roll my eyes at my weepiness. Getting silly after crying happens to me sometimes, and I really wish it wasn't happening right now. Nothing about this situation is really funny.

"Your name?"

He really doesn't give up, does he? But I can't deny him an answer. There wouldn't be anything right about that.

"Laurah," I whisper, quieter than quiet.

Still, he hears me. I can feel him sigh as soon as the truth leaves my lips.

I'm expecting him to be angry, or maybe hurt. I'm basically expecting every negative reaction possible. So naturally, I don't know what to do when Caspian wraps his arms around me tightly and hugs me like I've never been hugged before.

Naturally, though I'm unsure of what to do, I end up hugging him back. I can't help it. I really can't.

"I love you," he states, as if it's the simplest thing in the world. But it's not.

I close my eyes against another onslaught of tears and try to just enjoy this one embrace. It should be our last. I don't want it to be...and he doesn't either.

Between everything, I can't manage to choke out a reply, but I can tell he doesn't care.

We stand like that for blissful minutes, but we pull away eventually. Or rather, I pull away, and he doesn't stop me. But he does catch me off guard.

His mouth covers mine for the briefest moment, and then it's gone before I can even object.

"I had to, just once," he explains in a whisper that makes my heart clench up, again.

"If it's our last, then..." I cut myself off by bringing our lips together again. A last kiss shouldn't be soft as a feather.

A tear trails down my cheek when he returns my eager kisses, and it takes every ounce of willpower I have to finally pull back.

It hurts when I notice how differently I respond to him. Everything in me just _aches_ for him, maybe all the more because I truly can't have him. But I remember my husband, and fight all the feelings of remorse that bubble up. I can't afford to think about how much I wish it was Caspian I married that day. I shouldn't think that way at all, really. I'll have to learn to stamp out those sentiments.

But a sudden thought strikes me then, one that my mind hasn't dared to voice back home. If I love him, and he loves me...why is it we can't fight for that?

I quickly cut myself off, because it's too late for that...isn't it?

But for now, we both enjoy these short moments of being together, of remembering that kiss, and of being close to each other.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper, my eyes still wet, almost as wet as my cheeks.

"As am I," Caspian whispers right back, wiping my cheeks dry with his thumbs.

"I wish it was you."

"We wish the same."

With that, we both close our eyes, sigh out all the complicated things, and rest our foreheads against each other. It's a moment that is perfect in its own right, and I find that I've quite forgotten almost everything when my eyes slowly drift back open. I'm loathe to move, and so is he. The moment left so quickly. We both want things to stay as simple as they are now.

But it all comes rushing back of course, and Caspian and I share a sad smile. There won't be any more moments like this. Somehow there's a peace in that, some kind of relief in knowing that we've both said all we need to say to each other. Not everything we want to say, but everything that matters. Well...almost.

"I love you still, Caspian. Even though I'm not allowed to."

His smile stays sad as he looks at me and nods his understanding.

"I know."

* * *

**This was one of those times...those times where I ended a chapter in the middle of a scene because it felt right XD And the major reworking comes into play in the very next chapter, so again, if it's a bit late I apologize profusely and beg for forgiveness as well as an abundance of patience from you readers :)**

**Please leave a comment, however brief! I sometimes write faster with more reviews :P**

**Until next time, everyone! :)**


	15. Chapter 14

**Well, I think it's a bit obvious how late this is :] Basically, I drowned in college work and writer's block XD BUT! After a jolt of inspiration and a wonderful review, I got off my tush and plowed through my writer's block with delicious Starbucks coffees and sinfully marvelous pretzels :D And I still can't believe I got 3.5k of this done in one day...unreal, I tell ya! :D**

**And, if by the end of this installment you lovely readers are interested in yet another story from this series, it recently hit me exactly how to get a 4th story out of this! And I must say, I was quite proud of myself for realizing this! Also! I'll be putting a poll up really soon (if it's not up already) to see whether y'all would like Nikki to stay in Narnia at the end of this story or leave. It can go either way, so every vote has sway at this point ;) So do let me know your thoughts on that point!**

**And may I just say, I got some FANTASTIC reviews for the last chapter, and I couldn't be any happier if I tried! :D Endless, infinite thank yous to joycelyn. , Guest, Evy201, Jade Dupree, and Guest again! Not sure if the two Guests are the same person, but either way! Thank you thank you!**

**Enjoy, wondrous readers!**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Caspian POV:**

She loves him.

Somehow, Caspian feels as though he's known this very fact all along, but hearing her admit it is another thing entirely. It makes him wish he'd stopped her from running, all that long time ago. Perhaps then she couldn't have married...No. Laurah could have asked for help, asked for his help. So why did she not?

Caspian feels his face darkening at the sudden thought, and he can't help the anger creeping onto his face. Briefly, he notices Laurah cast her eyes down, but he asks his question anyway.

"Did you not think to ask me for help?" he asks, in a voice entirely different from his usual gentle tones.

"I...Caspian, I had no right to, and Mother didn't want to involve the Narnians..." Even Laurah must hear how weak her reply sounds, but she manages to keep her chin from hitting her collarbone in shame. She always was stubborn. "I had and have no right to ask anything of you."

"Diplomatically, you had every right to," Caspian answers in a frighteningly calm and dangerously low timbre. "You aided me at the How and Beruna; that is an unpaid debt."

"Alright, I'm sorry..." Laurah finally chokes out. But Caspian, he knows her well. And he knows that she can't bring herself to be entirely sorry; he sees it in her posture, because her eyes still refuse to meet his.

Caspian simply turns his hardened eyes away from her small form.

"I was a fool, Caspian, I'll admit that." She does mean that, he can tell. "But it was for the best." But she means that too...at least, she thinks she does.

"Perhaps, but your marriage," Caspian says the word with a venom almost completely foreign to him, "has done little to assure your people's survival should they strike again."

"The fighting is over! There will be no more attacks," she insists, with a slight shake in her confidence that only Caspian could ever see. Her eyes betray her; he always could read her eyes so well.

"And if there are?"Caspian asks, somehow both coldly and gently.

Laurah's mouth seems to finally fail her; she can't even send an answer with those emerald eyes of hers. Caspian knows as well as she that the sprites stand no chance - not by themselves. Perhaps it's time he simply aided them, with or without their 'permission.'

Another thought, a dangerous one, settles over Caspian's already clouded mind, and he can't help but speak it aloud. The darkness in him that Coriakin warned him of still lingers.

"You are certain you love me?"

Only minutes ago, Caspian knew it, yet now, he must hear it, simply once more. His doubt, perhaps, cannot be helped.

The coldly asked question seems to catch Laurah off guard; she stumbles in her fluid steps, her eyes snapping to stare at him with a mixture of surprise and hurt written in them. But when she speaks, her voice seems to take on the slightest airs of understanding.

"Caspian...I know I've messed up, but you should know better. You do know better; you said so minutes ago."

As she finishes her rebuke, Laurah again lowers her eyes. Still, Caspian can't let this one more thing go unsaid.

"Pride and love cannot coexist, Laurah."

Caspian can't help the temptation to leave her there to simmer in the guilt. But after several long moments, he lays a surprisingly gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I am sorry. I should not have spoken so."

Words so harsh will not solve anything.

"No, you were right. It's not your fault if the truth hurts."

Laurah attempts a smile, but Caspian knows it's a bit forced. So he tips her chin up and smiles gently when their eyes meet, reassuring her as she attempted to reassure him.

It seems to have the desired effect; she meets his eyes more willingly now, and her lingering tears seem to dry.

"I must ask you one thing more," Caspian whispers, making sure his voice stays as gentle as he can make it.

Still, she fears his question; her shoulder hunch the slightest bit, and her eyes can't hold a steady gaze with his.

"I love you; you know this. I must fight for that. Will you permit me to do so?"

Caspian has decided that enough is enough. Love is something that cannot be tossed to the wind; it deserves to be fought for. Even if she would not fight for it, he would. Well, he wishes to. He still needs her permission.

For a while, she has no idea how to respond. Clearly, she was expecting nothing of this sort.

"Well...I...I didn't expect that," Laurah admits sheepishly.

Caspian's hope threatens to burst from his chest as he waits for her answer.

"Alright Caspian, you have my permission."

* * *

**Laurah POV:**

What's a girl to say to that?

Obviously, I can't really say no. I mean, the way he asked was so sweet, and...blast it all, where's Nikki?! She always did have a good head on her shoulders.

Exactly how bad of a mess am I allowing to unfold? I don't think I can even guess at it. What would Mother say? Ann might understand, but Hallan surely wouldn't. It's important I make things between us work. Isn't it?

But then, love is important too. And Caspian had a bit of a point when he said that there's really nothing going for us if this marriage of mine didn't actually stop the war. Was it all a game?

I don't want to think that, because it makes me more of a fool than I perhaps already am. Still, better to face the music now.

That's a bit difficult, however, because my mind keeps fluttering back to Caspian telling me that he wanted to fight for us, for love. Corny as hell, sure, but overlooking the chick-flick gag reflex that particular way of phrasing it brings, it's...sweet. It's important. It matters, and it means more to me than my marriage. I'm not sure when that happened, but now that it has I can't do anything but marvel at my own fickleness. When did I become so easily changed?

My mouth says a few words of permission, I think. It ran away with me again, and it doesn't occur to me to try and shut myself up. Last I checked, Narnia doesn't have an abundant supply of duct tape.

But, judging by Caspian's contentment, I must have said something right.

"My my, what a mess we're making..." I mumble, more to myself than Caspian. Naturally, knowing my luck, he hears anyhow.

"My lady, forgive me, but all the mess in the world will be worth it if I can only call you mine." His breath is so soft on my face, and I have to stop myself from leaning in for another kiss.

Oh look at me! Just a simple breath from him and I want his lips on mine! What on earth's come over me?!

"I...where's Nikki?" I finally splutter out. Damn that blush on my cheeks.

Caspian frowns ever so slightly, so I hurry to explain.

"She's always been good at making me see sense. There's not an overabundance of that in my head, in case you somehow didn't notice." I finish off with a wry smile, one that Caspian mimics. "If we're going to go about this, I'd like to make sure I don't screw up as royally as I have recently."

"And you will listen to her advice this time?"

An apology forms on my lips instantly, but the moment I look up into his eyes I see the sparkle hidden in them.

"Yes Caspian, I'll listen to her. Though I make no promise to listen to you," I reply, with a bit of my own mirth.

Caspian simply raises an eyebrow in response, his eyes still alight. I trill out a laugh before following him down the hallway, presumably toward Nikki's room. I haven't perfected my internal map of the castle just yet.

Neither us makes a move to speak, and maybe that's for the best. I'm not sure either of us knows what we're doing here, so some thinking time certainly has its perks. Still, I surprise us both when I link my fingers with his. More importantly, I don't let go. I don't plan to, not ever if I can help it.

"You were right to start this, Caspian," I murmur.

"My lady?" he asks, pleased confusion in his voice.

"It's worth it."

In answer, his hand squeezes mine a little tighter.

* * *

"FINALLY!"

At Nikki's deafening shriek, my hands clamp over my ears and my face contorts into a twisted plea for mercy. That child has no other wish in life other than to make my eardrums bleed, I swear!

"Thank you, Nikki, for your feedback," I drawl.

"I always knew you had it in ya! I mean it took you long enough, but seriously! You two are soul mates, do you hear me? SOUL MATES!"

At this point in the conversation, Nikki almost tramples me with her mambo inspired victory dance. Naturally, I know better than to grumble my (slightly amused) indignation, so I simply scoot over a few feet.

"Even though I've hurt him so much?"

Surprisingly, this calms her down quicker than a sedation shot to the arm. Within two seconds, Nikki's on her knees next to me and enveloping me in one of the warmest hugs I've ever gotten in my life.

"To him, you're worth it."

My arms are busy hugging my best friend back, so I can't swipe at the tear that darts down my cheek.

"Besides, a lot of his hurt was caused by that mist stuff and the ducktard behind it."

That makes me feel a bit better, but still...wait.

"Nikki? What on earth is a ducktard?"

"I don't generally use the version that starts with an 'f'. Classy not sassy, you know?" she chuckles.

"If you're anything, it's sassy!" I'm outright laughing now, but she doesn't seem to mind.

Nikki takes this moment to sniff the air imperiously and to stretch her face into an elongated visage of snoot and pomp.

"But ladies of my highborn breed do not use that singular word," she says.

After a moment of staring, I dissolve into giddy giggles.

"You've said it before, you know."

"Yes, well, so have you!"

My 'insolence', as this snooty Nikki would call it, earns me another sniff and a glare down the nose.

And no later than five seconds later, we both dissolve into laughter.

"This is good for ya, chica! You needed to lighten up a bit!" Nikki declares once we've quieted to a reasonable level.

"I suppose I did...but seriously though Nikki, this is going to be a huge disaster once I get home."

"Well, maybe. But honestly, I'm not sure if your marriage is entirely valid."

"Beg pardon?"

What has Nikki been smoking? I'm pretty sure they don't have weed in Narnia.

"I've got a theory. And all I ask is for you to keep an open mind, no matter WHAT I say. Mmkay?"

"Don't I always have to have an open mind with you?" I answer with a smirk dancing across my lips.

"I mean more than usual. I've got a lot of evidence to back it up too."

"Alright Nikki, spill. I'll keep an open mind. More than usual."

"Good. Let's start with a bit of precursory analysis, shall we?"

I roll my eyes, but nod for her to continue.

"Now, how do you feel here versus in the sprite woods?"

"Er...I don't know. I'm a bit on edge here I guess, but..." It's such an unexpected question that I can't help but throw my hands up in frustration. "Where are you going with this, Nikki?"

"You'll see in a moment. Now my personal sentiments on the matter are as follows. While I was there, I felt a bit odder than usual. Ever wonder why I went along with your nuptials so easily and listened to your somewhat flawed reasoning?"

Well...I guess she did go along with it, come to think of it. And then here, she's a bit more outspoken regarding her disapproval.

"Not until now, but I suppose you have a point."

"I do, I promise. Now, I noticed, in hindsight, that while I was there I wasn't my usual vibrant, blunt, and ostentatiously pushy self. I went along with everything a bit easier, and I thought about things a bit less. Almost like I had a light fog over my brain. That feeling sound familiar?"

Maybe I should be getting upset about this, but I'm nothing but curious, hopeful even. If my marriage wasn't valid somehow...Caspian and I can do as we wish. So I'm only mildly surprised with myself when I close my eyes and _concentrate_ to see if Nikki might be right. Painful memories pop up along the way, but I do find I felt a bit different in the sprite woods. And strangely enough...I felt a similar, more intense fog when I first landed on Dark Island. I never wanted to remember anything about that place, but it's a curious observation.

"I felt that way at Dark Island. Before it...well you know."

"And?" she gently prods, thankfully offering a bit of support through a hand on my shoulder. I never realized I was shaking.

"Less so in the woods. But...you could be right. I did feel different there."

"Precisely my point. Now-"

"Keep in mind my choice of words. _Could_ be right," I interject quickly. No big leaps yet.

This prompts an eye roll from Nikki, but she doesn't offer any resistance.

"Right right. In any case, I've also noticed that since I've been away from the sprite woods, my negative sentiment toward your hubby dearest has increased greatly. Odd, isn't it?"

It pains me to admit it, but that is a bit odd. Too odd to ignore. But I want so much for everything to be well with my home now, my brain refuses to fully process that fact for a few minutes.

"Well...you...I...yes," I finally admit, torn between hating the words and being relieved by them.

"So would it be too big of a leap to suggest my mind wasn't entirely my own there?"

"Whoa now, that is a pretty big leap!"

"Then might I also bring it to your attention that the sprites seem almost if not completely unanimous with the council, and your mother. Curious, yes?"

"What are you suggesting there, Nikki?"

"I'm suggesting, to make it clear as crystal, that there's something keeping everyone agreeing. And I find it a bit fishy that your mom seems to be calling all the shots. Without question, opposition."

"Nikki, that's-"

"And furthermore, why is she so opposed to the Narnians helping out with y'all's little war? The Narnian army's huge, with the combination of the Telmarines and Narnians! She has to know that with the two armies your little attacker would be squashed to the dust!"

"Nikki-"

"So I'm forced to ask one simple thing: What if your mother doesn't want the help precisely _because_ it would end the war?"

"Stop, Nikki-"

"It looks more and more like she **wants** this war. Now, why would that be?"

I give up trying to cut in, but only because my head's spinning so fast I can barely think. Luckily for my sanity, Nikki continues a bit quieter.

"I don't know why, precisely. But chica, surely you've got to see how strange this all looks?"

"I...she...I..." Nothing will settle, nothing will really process correctly. Mother, the war, wanting it to keep...no. No, Mother's not like that.

"Even queens make mistakes?" I offer.

"Intentional ones, chica? Of this magnitude?"

I give up trying to speak. It's no use; I can't even put two words together in my head, let alone spit out some coherent fragment of a thought. Just...no. Impossible. A slender pair of arms wrapping around my shoulders grounds me a little, thankfully.

"It's a lot to take in, I know. Just promise to think about it?"

All I can do is nod.

"And one more note before we move on to gooey-er topics. You get that if you, and me, and even every last sprite in those woods is being controlled, that means you didn't actually consent to getting married, and you didn't entirely commit to the vows? So you'd be off the hook. Which would bode rather well for you and Cas dearest, yes?"

My head nods again, but I'm letting myself hope far too much already.

"Don't be afraid to hope, chica. It'll do you some good after your gloom-and-doom attitude of late."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"Anytime. Now, I've got to run off to MopMan's for dinner, or a date, or whatever it is he's got planned. He never really divulged, in spite of my determination to wring it from his lips. And-"

"-you want me to get in some more quality time with Caspian?"

"Precisely. Now scoot to your room and get something gorgeous on! That ball gown looks a bit worse for the wear after your night out."

I sigh a little, but I don't argue. She'll only threaten me if I do.

"Just what are Caspian and I supposed to do?"

"The sky's the limit, chica! Dance, smooch, eat dinner, take a stroll on the beach, go on a ride, check out the marketplace, make out against a wall, feed some pigeons, plant a tree, go blanket surfing, play Truth or Dare, do anything you darn well feel like!"

"Er...blanket surfing?"

"Yeah, like you and I used to do in my foyer when it was raining and we were bored?"

"Oh yes, how could I forget?"

Those were good times, now that I remember them. Of course, both our knees were covered in bruises the next day, but it was worth it a hundred times over. Maybe Caspian and I should do that, to lighten up a little.

"You know, Nikki, I might suggest that to Caspian...it might do us good to be kids," I muse aloud.

"You do that, chica! And if you slide down stair rails, make sure he catches you!" she chirps in reply.

"I haven't seen many slidable stair rails..."

"Oh well, you two love birds will think of something! Now scoot, you!"

"Wait...Nikki, are you sure this is all okay? We're still not sure about the state of my marriage..."

"So keep it PG." Nikki waves off my concern a bit too quickly, but I can't find enough resolve to push the issue. I want to be with Caspian too much, and I remember his kiss too well.

And that's probably why I scuttle to my room without another word of protest and slip into the most appropriate dress I can find. It's one that won't fly up for something like blanket surfing.

And no sooner than I've gotten myself presentable - the last smears of makeup gone from my face - then an insistent knock sounds at the door.

"Ah you again?" I greet her with a put-on grimace.

"Shut it. I'm headin' out, so caio until late tonight. Have fun, you. That's an order," Nikki commands, flinging her arms around me for a bear hug I happily return.

"You too. Don't do anything too stupid."

"Chica, it's me and MopMan. Of course we'll be stupid," she laughs into my shoulder.

"Hence the 'too' tacked in front of 'stupid'?" I fire back, unrepentant for my eye roll.

"Fair 'nuf. Bye!"

"Adios!"

And so we go our mutual ways for the night, though I think Nikki'll be a bit more at ease than I'll be. Though I quickly remember that I have no living clue where Caspian is, so I end up wandering the castle before settling for a bit of time in the garden. As luck would have it, he has the exact same idea.

"Laurah, I was just about to search for you." His greeting is even warmer than usual, and I think it takes us both a it of effort to refrain from indulging in a short, sweet kiss of hello.

"Funnily enough, I was wandering around looking for you not five seconds ago," I answer, subconsciously nuzzling into the side of his neck when his arms wrap around me in a tender embrace.

"My apologies if I eluded you," Caspian whispers into my hair.

"No worries."

"Did Nikki send you?"

I let loose a chuckle. He knows the two of us so well.

"How could you tell?"

"Your face is free of its paint."

"Ah."

The somehow unpleasant reminder of my little masquerade puts a bit of silence between us that's a bit less than comfortable.

But after a few minutes of it, I surprise myself by speaking up.

"Enough of that. How does a night of being kids again sound to you?"

Caspian tilts his head and stares at me bemusedly for a moment before chuckling lightly.

"It may do us both good, my lady. Though I confess I know little of children's games."

For a moment I'm about to ask why, but I remember his less-than-ideal childhood. I guess his child's play was more training than fun and games.

"Then I'll teach you some of mine! As long as you don't mind a few bruises."

"I think I would not. What does my lady have in mind?"

"You can call me by my name, you know. It's legal." I wink at him to ensure he knows I mean it lightly.

Caspian's eyes twinkle for a moment as he nods his acquiescence, but I don't waste any more time.

"Alright, let's go get some blankets. Preferably ones you don't care about too much, as they'll likely get a bit shredded." In my eagerness to get started on this game I've neglected to play for the better part of three years or so, I barely notice Caspian's utter bafflement

"Laurah? What on-"

"No questions, my king. Onward ho!"

"I do believe Nikki's begun to rub off on you," he muses as he follows me out of the garden and toward one of the abandoned bedrooms.

"Actually, I think I invented this game, a long time ago."

Other than trivialities, we say little on the way, but when we reach one of the rooms and duck inside, I quickly find myself pressed gently between the wall and a warm, welcoming body.

"Caspian, what-"

"Shh," he hushes me, placing two fingers over my lips. At first, he seems serious, but then the light hits his face just right, and I see his brown eyes dancing with something akin to mischievousness. That shushes me.

Almost without my realizing it, my hands come up from my sides to rest on his shoulders, and I smile a bit when it emphasizes our height difference.

Little by little, his face nears mine, tipping slightly to the side so our noses don't bump. But I've got other ideas; I tip my head too so our noses do brush, and when he looks at me curiously through slightly lidded eyes, I explain.

"It's called an eskimo kiss. Can be cute." Good thing it's a bit dark, otherwise he'd see my blush. Though I wouldn't be surprised if he could detect it anyway.

I sense, rather than see, Caspian's smile, and I feel it when his lips brush over mine, just once.

"I think you're already spoiled on this, Caspian," I whisper against his lips even as I keep his face dangerously close to mine.

"If you think it unwise-"

"If I did, I'd never say so. I'm a bit spoiled as well."

"So soon...my lady?" he teases me, stealing a kiss in the middle of his question.

In reply, I peck his lips and slip under his arm.

"Don't tease me too much, Your Majesty, else I might just slip through your fingers," I whisper impishly. My grin only grows when Caspian attempts to take my hand and frowns at me when I pull it away at the last moment.

A smirk of his own paints itself onto his lips as he darts forward, too quickly for me to dance away from, and seizes my waist. I don't hide my pleased surprise when he pulls me back to his side and wraps an unyielding hand around my hips. My only guess at this new side of him is that he's suppressed things between us for so long that he can't hold back any longer. Even as thoughts of propriety flit across my mind, I lack any conviction in my guilt. Maybe I've suppressed things too long as well. So I don't stop him when he feverishly presses his lips to mine. I think I like this new side of him...

One kiss ends, another begins, and somehow my arms wrap around his neck as his free hand tangles in my hair. Yet just when I begin to lose track of time, light footsteps sound in the not-so-distant hallway. I have to swallow my disappointed sigh when our lips separate.

"Best prevent awkward situations, I suppose," I whisper ruefully. I don't hesitate to press a light kiss to the fingers that hush me.

This really will be a grand ol' mess when I get home...am I nothing more than a selfish little child?

Caspian instantly notices the less mirthful mood I unwillingly shift into.

Once the footsteps pass, he presses his forehead to mine and asks me what's wrong in a something very akin to a lover's whisper. How I wish he was!

It crosses my mind to brush it off as nothing, but I know he'll tell me the truth.

"Am I only a selfish child, Caspian? I seem to change with the wind..."

As soon as the hushed words leave my mouth, they're silenced with perhaps the tenderest kiss ever to grace my lips.

"My lady, your mind is likely still healing from its ordeal. And Nikki told you of her 'theory' regarding the sprite forest?" At my nod, he continues, "Then any inconsistencies are forgiven."

But still, I can't help but wonder if I'm still just a child. Caspian's in his twenties, and I'm only eighteen. Mentally, perhaps I should be nineteen, but my body's only eighteen. And my mind can't be more than fifteen with how I've been acting.

"You are no child either, Laurah. No child could recover from Dark Island as you have."

"Didn't we just discuss that I'm still healing from that?" I grumble half-heartedly. I can't help my self-doubt, not really.

"You do not wallow in it; you are seeking to be better, yes?"

"Yes..."

"Then don't trouble yourself. I am a patient man, my lady."

"Except when you want to kiss me," I whisper in an attempt to break the suddenly serious atmosphere.

"Well...yes, except then...Forgive me, but I have waited almost four years by now."

"Four years?" That long?

"It was just over three years when you were brought on board the _Dawn Treader._ With the voyage home and the time since then, yes, it was fast approaching four years."

Words fail me then, and I offer the only comfort I can think of: I wrap my arms around his torso and hug. When Caspian relaxes into my embrace and rests his cheek on the top of my head, I feel his content smile stretching across his lips.

We stand there for long moments, as content as we can be, until Caspian breaks the quiet.

"Now, you were intent on blanket surfing?"

* * *

**I do hope this means I can kiss my writer's block goodbye! This was entirely too long to keep you unspeakably fantastic readers waiting!**

***NOTE* I went back to chapters 1 and 3 and put in some important info, so I'd suggest rereading them :)**

**And the second this is up, I'll be putting a poll up so you all can tell me what you'd like to see for Nikki at the end of this story, if you catch my drift ;) So let me know what you think! **

**Guest - Aw, well thank you for leaving one that time! I do love reading your reviews, especially since they're on the longer side! I totally understand busy life though, so don't worry about it ;)  
I know, right? Haha I'm at the point where I'm a bit put out with her myself...but she's still not all there, not to mention some other wackiness mentioned in the above chapter, so I try to be patient with her. I don't always succeed though...But still! Last chapter was a big breakthrough for her, so you can look forward to a slow reappearance of the Laurah we all like better XD Interesting ideas about her talking to hubby dearest too! I'm still figuring that part out, so I might end up using one of those suggestions ;D I've got some delicious ideas though...and you can thank a reviewer for TDWAP that told me tension is to be encouraged. Oh be prepared, readers, be prepared XD  
Thank you so much for such a positive review! I was grinning ear to ear when I read it, and I'm still grinning as I reply :D**

**Guest - The next chapter was plugging around in circles in my little lazy noggin, but I have to give you a lot of credit; your review kicked it off its can! Between that and 4 coffee drinks today, this chapter went from barely 1.5k to finished in less than 15 hours. So THANK YOU! :D That was just the dose of motivation I needed ;) **

**Speaking of which, I have to say thank you to every single reviewer of this story! When I hit slumps in my writing today, I'd go back and read your lovely reviews, and then another 500 words would churn themselves out before I knew it! So I honestly can't thank you guys enough!**

**Please do let me know what you thought of this chapter, especially since things are super up in the air right now with this story's plot and everything. Feel free to let me know what you would and wouldn't like to see! ;D**

**Until next time!**


	16. Chapter 15

**Whew! Thank you once more to Guest for the motivation! Something about your reviews gets my rear into gear! :) **

**I do apologize for the wait, but this time it was due to a bit more than simple writer's block. The good news is that my emotional crisis is quickly chilling out, but with midterms on the horizon, things are still a bit nuts...still, feel free to yell and scream at me to get me to update! I do listen ;D**

**Thank you to the infinity power (wow, Calc really is seeping into my brain...) to all my marvelous reviewers! 6 reviews for the last chapter was simply OUT OF THIS WORLD! Seriously, I almost fell out of my chair! Actually, I think I did...I'll check with my roomie, cuz she was there! I did shriek and scream and proclaim y'all's awesomeness in my best opera voice, so I hope you all enjoy that mental image XD But thank you oh thank you joycelyn. , Evy201, Alissiel (welcome back!), Guest, Jade Dupree, and Guest! :D**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Nikki POV:**

"Honestly, what do you have planned?"

"Patience, Nikki. I promise you will find it worth the wait." MopMan keeps his hands fixed over my eyelids and nudges me a few more steps forward.

"MopMan, you should know by now that patience is not one of my better virtues."

"Then hold on to this, would you?"

At this, a fluffy something stuffs its way between my crossed arms and my torso.

"What the Cocoa Puffs..." Here I wrap my hands around the fuzzy thing. "...is this?"

"Do try to refrain from strangling it," he laughs into my ear.

"Strangling what? Call me blonde, but I don't really know what this is."

With a sigh, MopMan uncovers my eyes just long enough for me to see what he jammed into my arms.

"Aw, MopMan! You sweetie..."

"I thought, as your brother destroyed the first, you might like another." The very second he's finished speaking, he covers my eyes again, and I hug the teddy bear as close as I can without squeezing the life out of it. How did he even remember that story? Awww...

"Are we there yet?" I whine, in spite of my gooey state.

"Nikki, did I not tell you mere minutes ago to be patient?!"

I grin at MopMan's exasperation and free one hand to poke his ribs.

"And did I not reply that I'm anything but-" My smirk only grows when a familiar pair of lips cuts me off. Then my mouth is free again, and it opens to tease the life out of my dear, adorable, mop-headed sailor. However, he anticipates this, and my banter remain stillborn as he kisses me again. And again. And again. Both of us are smirking the whole time.

All too soon for my taste, he finishes his pleasant assault on my lips, earning himself an overdone pout from me.

"Lemme guess, time for you to cover my eyes again?"

In answer, MopMan grins and does exactly as I thought he would. Fortunately, I only endure this maddening situation for a few minutes more. Well, sort of.

"Eeep! MopMan, what on earth?!"

"Hush love, you'll scare the horse!"

That successfully shuts me up. I like horses, but sometimes Sherlock Holmes's sentiment about them being "dangerous at both ends and crafty in the middle" tends to prove itself.

"You better not smack this horsey on the rump, got it?"

"I would never!"

"Oh yes you would."

"Well...perhaps." MopMan plants a kiss on my nose before wrapping my arms around his torso. "No peeking."

I grumble a bit, but I do as I'm told. Who am I to complain if I get to nuzzle into the back of his neck the whole way to wherever?

"Nikki, love, please refrain from distracting me," a slightly flustered MopMan murmurs.

"You never said I couldn't, sweetness?" I chirp right back, smirking at my effect on him.

He simply shakes his head at my antics and spurs the good lil' horsey on faster. Cue another grin from me. I can't tell if he can feel my mouth quirking upwards against his the back of his neck, but he never says anything either way.

After a few more gleeful minutes of torture from yours truly, he hands me a strip of cloth.

"For your eyes," he says simply.

"You could've tacked on a 'please', MopMan."

Let him figure out if I'm kidding or not. In the unlikely event he can't sense my sarcasm, he'll beg for forgiveness in a most adorable manner. And then I'll have an excuse to demand another kiss. Crafty, isn't it?

"You may have another kiss when we reach our destination. Now do blindfold yourself, my dear Nikki."

With my jaw hanging open in only half-surprised playful indignation, I tie the cloth over my eyes as instructed.

"I'll hold you to that, MopMan dearest."

The little rascal just chuckles at me. Still, I can't say I mind how his chest hums under my fingertips.

And with a few minutes more of surprisingly quiet riding, we arrive. At least, I think we do. The nice lil' horsey stops galavanting to kingdom come, but I can't exactly see if we're stopped for good. Blindfolded, remember?

...and now I'm talking to myself. In my own head. Brilliant. How utterly...me.

Quicker than I can protest, I'm suddenly on my own on this shifting little horsey.

"MopMan! Don't leave me here, you dolt! This horsey's just waiting for a chance to toss me ten moons from here!" I screech, making a move to tear the blindfold from my eyes. Hey, if this horse bolts, I want to see any branches she'll charge toward before they can put a nice purple lump on my head. That's fair, right?

"Nikki, please calm yourself. I will let you down in a moment if you'll only be pa-"

"-patient. Yes, I know." These words having left my impatient mouth, I hush up and try to grasp a bit of the virtue MopMan's been reminding me of almost constantly.

And I wait.

And then wait some more.

And then...yep, you guessed it. I wait yet a little teensy weensy trifle bitsy bit more. Which, decoded from my sarcasm, translates to about 15 minutes or so of waiting. On a sidestepping horse. Yeah, it was grand.

Luckily, just as my mouth opens to ask just when in the name of the Norse gods MopMan plans on letting me see what he's up to, said young man lightly touches my knee.

"Now you may dismount."

"You gonna catch me, sweetness?"

"Of course."

I can hear the smile in his voice.

Sure enough, when I swing my leg over and slide down, two warm and very welcome hands close around my waist and slow my drop to the ground.

Even better, a familiar pair of lips close over my mouth before I can even murmur my thank you.

Hence my ear-to-ear grin when MopMan unties the cloth from my head and lets it drop.

"I never get tired of that, y'know," I muse contentedly, my hitherto feverishly curious eyes trained only on my beau's charming, lightly freckled face.

In answer, I receive another grin-worthy kiss.

"Might I show you where we are now, Nikki my dear?" he whispers.

"Yes, yes please!" I squeal, clapping my hands together and bouncing on the balls of my feet.

"Very well."

MopMan steps aside, to reveal...

"Ooooh!" A single awed gasp is all the sound I'm capable of producing.

He remembered? I only mentioned wanting to go to a beach once!

"Perhaps you should take off your shoes?" he suggests, his breath warm on my ear.

Mutely, I do precisely as he suggests.

How did he remember this? I'm positive I only even mentioned it once, and that was in passing!

"I confess I'm rather unfamiliar with your dancing, but your MopMan is a willing student, if you will only teach him."

My mouth opens and closes several times much like a fish's, and still I can't stop gaping. A beach, and a picnic on the sand, and even lit candles to light the small cave? How on earth did he...?

I nod once, and do the only thing I can do at the moment to thank him. My voice still isn't working, so I bring our lips together again. I don't mind a bit when it lasts a good deal longer than our other kisses. When I pull away for the necessary oxygen, my voice box finally decides to work.

"Thank you, Sadrian, I...you...how...?!"

"For once in her life, I do believe Nikki Stevens is lost for words?" His eyes dance with the candlelight reflected in them.

My mute nod seems to be a very apropos answer.

My wonderful, wonderful Sadrian chuckles again and wraps me in a hug so warm it threatens to melt me like wax. As it is, my knees get a little weak. Just a little, mind you.

"May I have this dance, my lady Nikki?"

"You know I despise being called 'lady this or that'," I grumble playfully even as I take his hand. His fingers feel so gentle yet strong around mine.

"Perhaps someday, you won't mind it so much from me," he whispers back impishly, a sparkle of something I haven't quite learned to identify dancing in those eyes of his.

I can only shake my head at him and follow him to the sandy dance floor. I'm only too happy to kick off my shoes on the way, and he earns himself a pleased giggle from me when he follows suit minutes later.

"What shall I learn today, Nikki?"

"Er...how about..." A sudden idea hits me smack on, and it's too delicious to ignore. "How about the rumba?"

"And is this smooth or rhythm?"

"Hey, how'd you know about what kinds of dancing I do?"

"You were babbling about it one day aboard the _Dawn Treader,_" he answers simply.

I shrug and start with the simple basic step.

"So the basic step is just a box. You're going to step forward on that left foot of yours, and then to the side with your right, and then close those feet together. Make sense so far?"

"A demonstration?" he asks, a bit timidly I might add.

"Sure thing. Now, take note of the second half of this: it's a step back on the right, a side with the left, and another close. Watch." And I perform said steps slowly first, but a bit faster the second time around. To my eternal delight, he picks it up remarkably quickly. Somehow, I manage to suppress my squeals of glee, only in the interest of teaching him more stuff.

Once I've taught him enough of the actual steps, I change from his teacher to his partner.

"Okay, time to give you a little test drive! Remember every syllable I said about leading!"

"I thought you told me there is no actual leading?"

"Then just remember how I phrased it, genius brain. Come now, let's dance!"

He takes his first unsteady steps, a lot like a newborn colt.

"Not bad. Try again. I won't bite, I promise," I encourage.

"You did once, Nikki."

Instantly, my cheeks flood with red. No...my entire freaking **face** floods with red. I think a bit of it seeps down to my neck as well.

"MopMan, you told me to!" I counter in the sweetest voice I can manage.

"And yet, the point stands."

"Shut your mouth and dance with me."

As you-"

I cut him off with a kiss.

After this silencing my rascal of a boyfriend, I wait patiently for him to cue me to start the dance. I want him to get used to taking the lead, as the phrase goes.

To my great joy, he not only takes the initiative, he starts throwing in moves I thought he's forgotten the minute I taught them! He's a marvel, this one is!

"MopMan, how are you remembering all this?"

"I had a marvelous teacher, my dear Nikki," he answers with a wink.

And he keeps his frame, too! Well, mostly. He holds me just a little closer than the norm. Not that I mind.

Somehow, he stays on time too.

"I guess we don't actually need music to dance," I muse, mostly to myself.

A kiss on my forehead quiets me. And so the dance continues.

Sadrian tugs me a little closer, somehow managing to time it just right so I never misstep. He keeps this up until we're flush against each other, and our steps shrink as a result. At least there's still room for a few small cucarachas.

But all thoughts of dance steps fly out the window when I hear an achingly tender whisper against my ear. This isn't unusual in and of itself for Sadrian/MopMan, but what he says is.

"I love you," his voice hums next to my ear.

He's never said that before.

A moment later, he's apologizing profusely. I barely hear him. Did he not mean it?

"...wasn't supposed to slip out!..."

That tiny bit makes sense, and I have the presence of mind to shush all his apologies with the most fervent kiss I've ever pressed to his lips. Instantly, his own mouth stills, only to move eagerly with mine.

I only pull away to whisper an answer.

"I love you."

* * *

**Laurah POV:**

"Yes, to blanket surfing we go!"

I waste no time in yanking the two blankets from the bed and shoving one into Caspian's surprised arms.

"Come come Your Majesty, no time to waste!" I call behind me as I dash out of the room and into the hallway.

"Why the sudden urgency, my lady?" he asks, quickly following me with a confused and amused look on his face.

"Because we can't stay kissing against the wall forever, my king!" I whisper, relishing the red that floods Caspian's ears.

I also don't try and hide my slightly smug laughter when he shuffles after me, some of the blush leaking onto his neck.

"You really are quite adorable when you're embarrassed, my liege," I tease.

"You remind me of Nikki and of yourself when you say that, Laurah."

The last bit gets my attention more.

"How so?"

"You often sought to annoy me by using every ridiculously respectful phrase you could think of. 'My liege' was one Reepicheep brought to your attention. Purely by accident, of course."

As Caspian goes on to describe the Pevensies arriving in Narnia and Reepicheep's reaction to them and hence my awareness of the 'my liege' term, his smile reaches his eyes in the most pleasant of ways. It draws me closer and closer until we're practically walking hip-to-hip. I can't seem to take my eyes from his face, luminescent as it is with his happy memory. I think I might already be addicted to seeing him this happy.

"Why do you stare so, my lady?"

Blushing slightly at being caught, I fight with my natural inclination to look away.

"I love seeing you this happy. It suits you," I answer simply.

We share a soft smile before I realize that we've come to prime blanket surfing territory.

"HALT!" shrieks a very gleeful me. My feet dance in place as memories of past blanket surfing days flood my conscious. "Oh Caspian, you really will love this!"

"If you love it so much, I believe I'm all but obligated to love it as well," he chuckles in reply, eyebrows slightly higher than usual.

I only laugh and proceed to fold the blanket into quarters before laying it on the slick wood floor and darting back a few yards.

"Laurah? What-"

"Just fold your blanket and get yourself over here!" I reply, perhaps a little on the giddy side.

Though his eyebrows jump another few inches up his forehead, Caspian does as I ask. Er...command. Same difference. Oh wait, Nikki hates that phrase...

"And now?" he questions as he comes to stand beside me.

In answer, I shed my shoes and stand there in my sock feet. After a playfully stern look from me, Caspian follows suit.

"Now, the moment all of Narnia has been waiting for!" After I swallow my proclaiming voice, I race forward and leap onto the blanket. Well, I try to. As is usual, I fall straight onto my backside and skid across the floor in a remarkably frog-like position on that poor folded blanket. No doubt it'll be shredded beyond repair after a good hour or so of this, but I did warn Caspian as to that particular danger.

Once my hooting and whooping dies down and the blanket surfboard slows to a stop, I stand from my frog position, resisting the urge to rub my bruising rear. I warned Caspian about that too, just not the location. Ah well, it'll be fine!

"And there you have it! Blanket surfing!" I trot back over to Caspian as I make this all-important declaration, hiding a wince at the movement that so hurts my poor black-and-blue backside.

Caspian, for one, seems to be entirely at a loss for words.

"Well go on then! Give it a go!"

Casting a dubious glance at me, and then his blanket, and then me again, Caspian doesn't move more than a centimeter.

"It's fun, trust me!"

"That was a rather loud crash when you hit the floor, my dear lady," he replies.

"Which is why we use blankets. Padding, in case there isn't enough on that part of you already."

"You think there is not?"

Oh, the gleam in his eye.

"I haven't done a thorough study, your Majesty."

"And why not?"

This new Caspian really is quite different from the usual side of him I'm used to. Did Nikki give him a bit too much wine?

"You know very well why not, and you're also going to go surf that blanket like a pro, just for that." I sniff imperiously, just to prove my sincerity.

Luckily for my amusement, Caspian listens to my order (I'm ordering the King of Narnia around?!) and proceeds to surf on the blanket.

Well...sorta.

I'd say he does more blanket boogie-boarding than surfing, but hey, he did trip trying to leap onto the blanket. It wasn't his fault if he went sprawling on his belly. And it certainly isn't his fault if the blanket slid along easy as you please, carrying him with it. Though I do hope his ribs are okay, since it looked a bit like they took the brunt of the belly flop.

"Well, that's the gist of it, though I'd recommend landing on your backside rather than your stomach next time..."

Caspian's wheeze doesn't bode too well, but at least his glare holds on to its playfulness.

"Again?" I chirp, perhaps a bit too cheerfully. It's quite a miracle I can say anything really, since I have to keep my lips pursed together to quiet my amusement.

"If...my lady...wishes?" he manages to get out in between drawing air back into his lungs.

At this, a snort rips from me, and I instantly slap a hand over my nose and mouth.

"Sorry, sorry, it's just..." The rest of whatever reassurance I was going to give dissolves into helpless laughter, in spite of my two hands being firmly clapped over my face.

"I'm glad you find this amusing."

Through my watering eyes, I see Caspian pull himself to his feet and make his way back to me. Bless him for not shoving me indignantly.

No, he only wraps an arm around my shoulders and lets me sob-cry into his chest. He's a saint.

And I'm still laughing.

"Better you release those giggles now, I suppose," he mumbles into my hair, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

How is he this sweet when I'm laughing up tears at his blanket boogie boarding?

"You're a saint, you know," I finally gasp out, my giggles conquered at last.

"So you told me before," he whispers.

I can't find it in me to mind when the mood sobers considerably.

"I'll look for them, Caspian."

His confused glance greets my somewhat out-of-the-blue statement.

"The memories. They've got to be with that green lady, and I'd bet anything she's deep in the woods somewhere. I'll look for them day and night if I have to."

"Laurah, you needn't-"

"No, but I want to. I'd like to know what was between us before."

His mouth closes over mine after that, and I instantly relax. I had no idea I was afraid he'd think me an idiot until he didn't.

Yes, I'll find those memories. I owe it to both of us.

* * *

**Nikki POV:**

Once I return from the most wonderful date of my entire life, I start off to see if Laurah's in her room. It's always nice to squeal over the mutual cuteness, especially with that chica. Well, that's assuming she's lightened up. Which she's been making great strides in lately, or so it seems to my infallible mind.

"Nikki, may I have a word?"

I spin on my heel and wave my pinky at the star approaching me rapidly.

"Yello, Lilli! Long time no see!"

"Yes, it has been some time since we were able to speak extensively," she says as she falls into step next to me.

"Yeah, sadness! What's up?"

At this 21st century lingo, Lilliandil tips her head to the side.

"Right, sorry! Whatcha wanna talk about?" I finish this with a winning smile.

"I presume you are aware of His Majesty's and Laurah's...relationship?"

"Yeah, it's really taken off now, hasn't it? Oh hey, you heard about Laurah being here! Awesome!" I chirp out. I think my head might still be a little in the clouds from that beach rumba. And maybe the multitude of kisses too. Either one.

However, I'm quickly snapped from my reverie when Lilliandil spins around with a horrified look on her face.

"You think this a good thing, Nikki?"

"Don't you?" I ask. What's not good about this? Those two were supposed to get together ages ago! And Laurah's marriage has a pretty high improbability of being valid, so what's the problemo?

"No, I do not! Have none of you thought of the consequences of this? Laurah is married-"

"And it probably isn't valid, Lills. Something weird's going on in those woods, and I'm 99.999% positive Laurah's mind really wasn't in her control while she was there. Quite frankly, no one's is. Hence, she never truly agreed to the vows, and hence voila! No marri-age!"

"Probably does not mean absolutely. And even if it is not, think of the sprites' reaction to this! The Queen's!"

"The Queen is probably behind all this crap going on anyway, so her opinion matters why?"

"None of you have thought this through!" the star cries, throwing her hands in the air. This is easily the most emotion I've ever seen from her. Hands down.

"But Lilli, they're in _love_," I insist, pressing my palms to my heart and sighing at the cuteness of those two.

"And you think Laurah's husband will let her go so easily?" The sudden drop in Lilli's volume gets my attention back quick as a flash.

"Er...I don't know? Why would he be adamant to keep her?"

"Suppose his mind is being controlled, as you suggest. Suppose the Queen insists on Laurah honoring her vows, however invalid they may have been. How will Laurah's husband act?"

Well...shit.

"Possessive as a dog with a bone?" I offer feebly.

"Worse, if he is anything as you and Laurah described him!"

"Laurah told you about him?"

"Nikki, I believe you miss my point..."

"Right, sorry. So are you saying not only will Hallan hang on to Laurah 'til the bitter end, but he'll be a little nasty about it?"

"Can you imagine him acting any differently?" Lilli asks quietly, flooding every last cell in my body with fear.

Oh double dog drats on sticks.

"Houston, we have a problem," I mutter to myself.

How in the name of all things holy did we not think of that?

"Indeed. And perhaps we would all be wise to put the war and the woods' mischief ahead of everything else."

"...Lilliandil, what on earth would we do without you?"

She just smiles in reply, lays a forgiving hand on my quaking shoulder, and glides off, presumably to think of other brilliant things.

As for me, well, it's time I hauled my stupid ass to wherever Cas and Laurah have gone off to.

'They better appreciate this, because I am a horrible sprinter,' is all I can think as I tear off down the hallway.

* * *

**Laurah POV:**

"See, that was fun once you got the hang of it!"

"Yes, I will concede that it was worth the bruises," Caspian finally admits, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"And how did it feel to be a kid again?" I ask, somehow anything but shy at the way his hand keeps tugging me closer to his side.

"Very liberating. Thank you, for thinking of it."

"Thank Nikki, my love. She's the mastermind of most of my genius ideas," I laugh.

"I will be sure to do so."

With that, he leans down, surely to plant a gentle kiss on my lips. However, a frenzied screech stops us both cold. We spin around until we find the source of the unearthly noise tearing down the hall straight towards us.

"Nikki! What in the name of-"

"MUY IMPORTANTE! SHUT MOUTH AND ESCUCHA A MI!"

"Nikki, I'm pretty sure that's horrible grammar, and our Spanish teacher would have a connip-"

"Shut it, chica! Would I be running like the seven levels of hell were on my heels if I didn't have something vitally important to impart?!" she hollers at me, now inches from my face.

Instantly, Caspian and I both hold up our hands in a placating form of surrender.

"Catch your breath, little sister, and then do tell us what in the name of the Lion's come over you," Caspian says.

A crazed-looking Nikki nods and proceeds to do just that while Caspian and I trade worried glances. What could she have to say? Nikki'd never interrupt us unless it really was vitally important.

"Now! My breath is back, and you both are going to listen to me good and clear, got it?"

Mutely, we nod.

"Good. So I was on my way back to check to see if you were in your room, chica, when Lilliandil rushed up to me, in the greatest tizzy I've ever seen her in. And you see, she had some very valid points we'd all better start observing, starting this VERY INSTANT. Capish, so far?"

"Well enough, I suppose," I answer, trading another concerned look with Caspian.

"Grand. So, what was this all-important point? Well, it goes something like this. NONE of us have been thinking anything through very clearly. You two lovebirds are soul mates, I think we all get that. One teensy problemo: Chica, you're still married, however slim the possibility. Even with that aside, did we think of how this little tryst might be seen by the sprites, in particular your hubby dearest? As Lilliandil put it, do you really think he'll let you go just like that?"

Damn. She's got a point. A really, really good one.

Knowing Hallan like I've come to...he'd get violent, no doubt about it. And Caspian's the king of Narnia! I can't be a risk to his life...

"Caspian, she's right. He-"

"Hold the phone chica, there's one more thing."

I instantly shut my sorry little mouth and nod for her to continue.

"Lilliandil also dropped the following slice of wisdom, and I quote, 'Perhaps we would all be wise to put the war and the woods' mischief ahead of everything else.' End quote."

I'm nodding my head even before Nikki finishes. Of course! Caspian was wrong; I really am just a selfish child. How did that go completely un-thought-of? Aren't I usually smarter than this?

"I think it's time I returned there, Nikki."

"Chica, I think you're right."

"I will ready the army."

Both Nikki and I turn to Caspian on a dime.

"Is there a need?" I ask.

"If there isn't now, you can bet your knickers there will be soon," Nikki answers, which earns her an approving nod from Caspian.

"You will need all the help you can get, Laurah," he adds.

He's right. I will. If Nikki's right...oh heavens above, if she's right, I can't trust my own family.

"You're right. I'd like to leave right away, if that's alright," I answer, determination sparking in my eye. It's a welcome, if slightly foreign, feeling.

"You may leave whenever you wish."

"But I'll be a-comin' with ya, chica. And if I can convince Lilliandil to tag along, that'd be ideal. She's smarter and wiser than a council of philosophers, and she's so sweet that she'll be seen as the farthest thing from a threat there is."

I nod my agreement to Nikki's suggestion enthusiastically.

"Heaven knows we could use the extra help. Oh, but wait. Nikki, remember what you were saying about something in the woods being off? Forcing our opinions to conform?"

"Rats on toast, you're right! Anyone have any bright ideas for that?"

"Perhaps Aslan can be of help," Caspian suggests.

"Great call, Cas! Any idea how to get in touch with him? I'd ask for his number, but cell phones seem to be on shortage here..."

A single amused snort sounds from me even as Caspian looks on in confusion.

"21st century reference, my love," I sigh.

He nods once, and the mood returns to its original seriousness.

"I will do my best, little sister."

"Alright then. Chica, I'm off to find Lilli and convince her to come with us to ye jolly old sprite woods. You get packing, okay dokay shmokay?"

"I'm on it," I answer immediately, already turning on my heel to rush off.

"And Cas, you'll be readying the army and coming along in a week or so?"

"No more than," he promises.

Nikki leaves as suddenly as she appeared, and Caspian kisses the top of my head before we both hurry off to our separate tasks.

It's high time we took care of this mysterious enemy.

And no one's going to wait another minute.

* * *

**And now off I go to outline my November NaNoWriMo novel! Which is, funnily enough...another Caspian/OC fanfic! I talked about it a little on my profile page, so if you're curious, ****feel free to check it out! I'll probably post it at some point, but I'll have a poll as to whether you lovely readers want a fourth story in this series or that one, now titled Moonrose ;) **

**Also, it seems like the majority of you want Nikki to stay in Narnia, as it stands now. I'll leave the poll up until I write that chapter though ;) (It's on my profile, if you didn't know that already.)**

**Guest (1)- BINGO! 8D You got that you got that you got that I am so happy you got that! You're right on track, and it makes me happy enough to squeal! Whoops, I think I just did...sorry people studying on this library floor! XD So sorry about the wait! Hopefully I can get the next one out in a week...hopefully :] Thank you so so much for reviewing and seeing these things in the characters!**

**Guest (2)- Well, you successfully got me in gear, perhaps especially because you used my own character to motivate me! You're right, that's exactly what Nikki would say...you know her well ;) Thank you so much for the positive feedback, it really does make it so much easier to write when I feel like it's coming out well XD I'll try to have the next chapter up for you in a week, okay? :) **

**Please leave a review dear readers, I love hearing from you! :D**


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